PATIENT-PROVIDER AGREEMENT ON GUIDELINES FOR PREPARATION FOR BREAST-CANCER-TREATMENT

Guidelines for preparing cancer patients for threatening medical proce dures were developed and refined and their perceived relevance and imp ortance rated by three concerned groups-84 breast cancer patients, 64 doctors, and 140 nurses and nurse oncologists All three groups indicat ed strong support fbr the guidelines. Patients and nurses rated more o f the guidelines as essential aspects of good quality care than did do ctors. Items in which a significant discrepancy existed included the i mportance of (a) consistent information, (b) involvement of others in preparation, and ici assistance to the patient in coping with treatmen t for breast cancer Doctors, compared with patients and nurses, underr ated the importance of some aspects of preparation These issues should be given more prominence in undergraduate and specialist medical trai ning, as well as in continuing medical education.