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Young patients’ information in paediatric oncology: development and evaluation of an information booklet ‘My chemotherapy treatment at Day hospital’ Volume 27, issue 4, octobre-novembre-décembre 2008

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Service de pharmacie, Hôpital d’enfants Brabois, CHU Nancy, rue du Morvan, 54511 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy

Informing patients and their families is particularly important in the management of cancers, especially in paediatrics. The waiting time before the chemotherapy is often long at day-hospital, and patients are really looking for information. However, few specific documents, intended and adapted to children are available. Our objective is to provide young patients and their parents with an information leaflet about their stay at day hospital and about the preparation of the chemotherapy infusion. Every stage is detailed, which allows to provide information regarding the waiting time. At first, we collected and analyzed existing documents dealing with paediatrics cancers. Then, based on observations and interviews, we described the patient’s course during his stay at day hospital, and at the same time the steps of the drug distribution system. An information leaflet was realized. ‘My chemotherapy treatment at Day hospital’, a story in 18 sequences illustrated with drawings, describes the blood sampling and the blood test, the consultation and the validation of the chemotherapy by the oncologist, as well as different steps of drug preparation in the pharmacy. The document was tested by five people of the nursing staff, a psychologist, five patients (from 3 to 18 years) and six parents. The evaluation was realized by following the HAS recommendations (High healthcare authority: scientist expert group). The following criteria were: semantics, syntax, quality of the illustrations, good understanding, and utility of the document. First returns are positive; the leaflet seems to respond to both parents’ and nurses’ expectations. A poster has been required. Next step is the validation of the document by more medical staff, as well as the diffusion of information.