Cytotoxic chemotherapy: what do community nurses need to know?

Among the range of increasingly complex care demands made of community nurses in the UK is the support of patients undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy at home. The NHS Cancer Plan and associated standards (Department of Health, 2000a,b) have identified that community nurses need an increased awareness and knowledge of the procedures and drugs involved to ensure a quality service provision. This article, based on a validated education course commissioned for community nurses in East Berkshire, explores key areas that enable community staff to care for and support patients through the course of their treatment and allows them to begin identifying an operational structure that promotes a quality service. Health and safety (as part of risk management) routes of administration, recognizing neutropenic sepsis associated with chemotherapy, and communication and collaboration are presented as key points identified from the course.