Prophylactic antiemetics for chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting

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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to provide nursing with additional scientific data on which to base clinical nursing judgments involving antiemetic administration for control of chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting. A sample of 15 cancer chemotherapy patients was assigned randomly to control (n = 8) and experimental (n = 7) groups. The experimental group received prophylactic doses of an antiemetic prior to chemotherapy administration and the onset of nausea and vomiting. The control group received only “p.r.n.” or “as needed” antiemetic doses. Patient perceptions of postchemotherapy severity and duration of nausea and frequency of vomiting were scored on the Nausea/Vomiting Scale developed by Lewis et al.12 Data analyses indicated decreased perceptions of the postchemotherapy variable in the experimental group. The decrease in perceptions was statistically significant for those patients in the sample who received chemotherapeutic agents considered to have strong emetic properties. Implications based on patient responses to discussion questions are made concerning the relationship of postchemotherapy nausea and vomiting to patient perceptions of chemotherapy and its side effects, to previous experiences and perceptions with postchemotherapy nausea/ vomiting, and to previous problems with stomach upset.

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