Susan Moore on Oral Oncolytic Patient Education

Susan Moore, RN, MSN, ANP, AOCN® Oncology Nurse Practitioner/Consultant at MCG on the importance of oral oncolytic patient education.

Moore says the key is for nurses to educate their patients. She says that from day one in nursing school nurses learn to educate their patients and it's a skill that is refined over the years. Moore advises against using a script and recommends an individualized approach tailored to the patient. It also helps to have a member of the patient's family or a friend there because they may hear things differently from the patient, who may be experiencing anxiety.

A nurse should educate a patient not just once but every time they have an encounter with the patient while they're on the medicine, whether if it's in the clinic or over the phone. Nurses should ask how the patient is doing, ask if they missed any medication, ask why they missed any medication, and offer to help the patient get back on track with the medication. Moore says education can be quick, but must be done continually.