Current Concepts in Chemotherapy

For a complete list of accreditations for this course, please see the accreditation information box below the author’s bio.  All states  recognize our courses for accredited continuing nursing education, CNE, contact hours.

An online continuing education course for nurses, medical health care professionals, and other interested individuals.

This instructional course has been designed for clinicians administering and/or caring for the patient receiving chemotherapy. Both clinicians involved in infusing chemotherapeutic agents and those caring for patients receiving these medications need a working knowledge of the diagnoses for which they are given, side effects of the drugs, appropriate nursing interventions, and the psychological implications of having these diseases and receiving treatment for them. These drugs are double-edged swords. They can both cure cancer and cause cancer. They are associated with more side effects and more serious side effects than most other medications clinicians administer. Therefore, education related specifically to chemotherapy is crucial to the safe and effective use of these drugs.

State Boards of Nursing have varying positions on the role of the LPN/LVN in the administration of infusion therapy, including the administration of chemotherapeutic agents. A link to each state board of nursing is listed here. Competency requirements are obtained and maintained through the clinician’s employer, facility or institution. This course provides 3 contact hours of continuing education.

In early 2016, the Infusion Nurses Society (INS), recognized as the global authority in infusion therapy, released the updated Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. The INS sets the accepted standards for infusion therapy practice for all healthcare settings. This course is based on the current best practices as defined by the Infusion Nursing Society and other governing agencies such as the CDC, and FDA.