LEARNING NEEDS REGARDING CHEMOTHERAPY AMONG PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER.

BACKGROUND: A learning needs assessment helps the healthcare provider to know about the existing knowledge of the patient and the future needs of the patient to know about the treatment. AIM: The study was conducted to assess learning needs regarding chemotherapy among patients diagnosed with cancer. METHODS: A quantitative approach was used to assess learning needs regarding chemotherapy among patients diagnosed with cancer from a tertiary care centre at Uttarakhand in the year 2018. Purposive sampling technique was used to select fifty chemotherapy patients for data collection. Structured questionnaires, review of medical records and interviews were used to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse data. RESULTS: Results concluded that 50% of the subjects had moderate learning needs while 30% had low and 20% had high learning needs regarding chemotherapy. ‘Side-effects of chemotherapy’ was the most difficult area ranked by 70% of subjects. Fifty eight percent of subjects ranked nutrition as the most knowledgeable area. Seventy six percent of subjects wanted information about the side-effects of chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that subjects had moderate learning needs in relation to chemotherapy and they perceived more needs during chemotherapy. Learning needs assessment can help health care providers to plan and implement patient-focused care for chemotherapy patients. Proper assessment of learning needs can contribute to the improved quality of care, and adherence to a prescribed treatment plan and quality of life of patients.