Tamale: Forty-five frontline nurses at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) have been trained to improve the early identification and timely escalation of chemotherapy-induced toxicities amongst cancer patients. The day's interactive training formed part of a quality improvement project aimed at strengthening the safety and quality of cancer care at the hospital by equipping nurses outside the Oncology Unit with the necessary knowledge and skills to recognize treatment-related complications.
According to Ghana News Agency, the project is being implemented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate in Oncology Nurse Leadership under Cohort II of the Oncology Nurse Leadership Programme (ONLEP) in Africa. The ONLEP is a leadership development programme designed to equip nurses and midwives involved in cancer care with leadership, critical-thinking, and quality-improvement skills to identify and address gaps in oncology care within their institutions and communities.
The programme is an initiative by Professor Lydia Aziato and is hosted by the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Ho, in partnership with the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC), City Cancer Challenge (C/Can), and Amgen. Participants for the training were drawn from various departments within TTH, including the Accident and Emergency Department, General and Specialist Outpatient Departments, Corporate Clinic, Oncology Unit, Polyclinic, and Obstetrics and Gynaecology Emergency Unit.
The training covered topics such as cancer and chemotherapy treatment at the TTH, gastrointestinal and haematological toxicities, and the early identification and escalation of chemotherapy-related complications. A major component of the training was the introduction of the TTH Chemotherapy-Induced Toxicity Identification and Escalation Wall Algorithm, a decision-support tool developed to assist frontline nurses in assessing patients who recently received chemotherapy.
The algorithm provides a quick reference for nurses to assess patients experiencing treatment-related complications, supporting timely clinical decision-making and referral to oncology specialists. The training was facilitated by Dr. Abdul-Rashid Timtoni Iddrisu, Medical Oncologist at TTH, alongside Oncology Nurse Specialists Mrs. Gifty Sarfo Annan, Miss Evelyn Osei-Amoah, and Mr. Mohammed Ziblim Osman.
Mr. Amos Azure, an Oncology Nurse Specialist at TTH and leader of the project, emphasized the necessity of the initiative due to the outpatient nature of chemotherapy services at the hospital. He noted that complications often arise after patients leave the Oncology Unit, prompting them to seek care at other departments where nurses may not have specialized oncology training.
Mr. Azure stated, "Chemotherapy complications do not always present in the Oncology Unit; patients may seek help wherever care is available." He added that enabling frontline nurses to recognize the warning signs and act promptly could save time, prevent harm, and improve patient recovery chances.
The training aimed to bridge the knowledge gap for frontline nurses, allowing them to recognize common chemotherapy-related toxicities and identify warning signs that require immediate assessment and escalation to specialist teams. Participants undertook pre-and post-training assessments to measure changes in their knowledge and confidence in identifying and responding to chemotherapy-induced toxicities.
The training also presented findings from the project, which are expected to inform discussions on integrating chemotherapy-toxicity education and the decision-support algorithm into continuing professional development and staff orientation programmes at TTH. Mr. Azure called for support from policymakers, health authorities, and development partners to expand similar capacity-building initiatives to other health facilities across the country.
Ms. Millicent Kumassey, Deputy Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer for the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at TTH, representing the Acting Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services, praised the initiative, stating that the knowledge gained would lead to improved cancer care outcomes at the facility.