Design and development of a mobile chemotherapy drug guide (ChemoNurse) for oncology nurses: a feasibility and usability pilot study

Abstract

This study aims to design, develop, and evaluate the feasibility of a mobile chemotherapy drug guide (ChemoNurse) tailored for oncology nurses. The evaluation focused on feasibility, usability, and acceptability outcomes. ChemoNurse includes drug preparation, storage methods, administration routes, administration duration, dosage calculation, side effects, patient education, and symptom management. Methods This feasibility study was conducted between August 1, 2023, and August 1, 2024, with 34 oncology nurses from the Turkish Oncology Nursing Society. The Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials checklist was utilized. The RE-AIM framework was used to guide the evaluation of early implementation outcomes, particularly feasibility, usability, and acceptability. The evaluation framework integrates usability, perceived usefulness, acceptability, and feasibility. The Information Form, ChemoNurse Evaluation Form, Mobile Application Usability Scale, Satisfaction Scale, and semi-structured interview form were used for data collection. Results The nurses’ mean age was 32.79 ± 6.55 years, 91.2% female, and most had over ten years of professional experience. The evaluation of ChemoNurse’s usability demonstrated high acceptance and perceived usefulness among oncology nurses. 94.1% of participants rated the application as easy to use, and 100% of participants reported that the content was understandable and clinically relevant. Additionally, 85.3% of participants considered the drug guide content clinically sufficient, and 91.2% confirmed that the application met their clinical needs. The application was perceived as cost-effective by all participants, and 97.1% of participants indicated they would continue using ChemoNurse in clinical practice. The Mobile Application Usability Scale results further supported these findings, with 91.2% of nurses scoring above 200 and a mean usability score of 246.76 ± 38.13. Conclusions Preliminary evidence suggests that ChemoNurse is usable and acceptable for supporting oncology nurses’ point-of-care access to chemotherapy information within this pilot sample; larger studies are needed to confirm its clinical impact. ChemoNurse demonstrated promising feasibility, usability, and acceptability within this pilot sample. Future studies with objective outcome measures are needed to evaluate its potential perceived usefulness and implementation feasibility in clinical practice.