Abstract
Objective: This study describes and compares the practices of the nurses, pharmacists, and physicians from a Japanese university hospital on cancer patient support during pharmacotherapy and gather suggestions for enhancing the effectiveness of the pharmacotherapy delivery system for patients with cancer. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study involved 430 nurses, 76 physicians, and 22 pharmacists from a university hospital in Japan and was conducted from February to April 2022. A uniform questionnaire was distributed to all three groups of professionals. The practices of indication judgments for pharmacotherapy (e.g., confirming that it is an established standard or equivalent treatment for the cancer type concerned) were asked using six items on a four-point scale. Their perceptions of patient support issues were asked using five items. The data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and Fisher's exact test. The Ethics Review Committee of the Graduate School of Nursing of Chiba University approved the present study. Results: The analysis included a final number of 184 nurses, 35 physicians, and 12 pharmacists after applying the eligibility criteria. Statistically significant differences were observed in four items, including "Confirm that the treatment has been established as standard treatment or equivalent treatment for the cancer type in question." Variances regarding what are checked to judge pharmacotherapy indications were noted among the three groups of professionals. The common situation and practice identified across these professions included information exchange through electronic charts, sharing knowledge on managing new pharmacotherapies, and ensuring adequate time for patient self-care support. Conclusion: This study uncovered variations in the perceptions of nurses, physicians, and pharmacists on cancer pharmacotherapy. The key to fostering an effective collaboration is the implementation of a systematic approach for sharing patient information and pharmacotherapy knowledge while ensuring a clear understanding of the role of each profession.
