Table 2.
Results of Delphi Round 2: Likert-Type Scale Ratings of Overall Importance of Each Topic for Inclusion in Education Prior to Initial Hospital Discharge (0 = not important at all; 7 = most important).
| Topic | Mean | SD | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| For all newly diagnosed pediatric oncology patients | ||||
| Diagnosis | 6.91 | 0.44 | 7.0 | 4-7 |
| Fever | 6.89 | 0.31 | 7.0 | 6-7 |
| Treatment plan | 6.89 | 0.45 | 7.0 | 4-7 |
| Who/how to call (eg, days, nights, weekends) | 6.86 | 0.35 | 7.0 | 6-7 |
| When/why to call treatment team | 6.80 | 0.72 | 7.0 | 2-7 |
| Managing medications | 6.73 | 0.62 | 7.0 | 4-7 |
| Care of the child at home | 6.54 | 0.69 | 7.0 | 4-7 |
| Central line care | 6.29 | 0.91 | 7.0 | 4-7 |
| Follow-up appointments | 6.25 | 1.01 | 7.0 | 3-7 |
| Side effects of treatment | 6.20 | 0.77 | 6.0 | 4-7 |
| Preventing infection | 6.14 | 1.30 | 6.5 | 1-7 |
| Health care team (key members) | 5.98 | 1.00 | 6.0 | 3-7 |
| Prognosis | 5.86 | 1.31 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
| Clinical trials | 5.80 | 1.14 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
| Blood counts | 5.77 | 1.21 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
| Supportive care | 5.68 | 1.18 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
| Psychosocial issues | 5.66 | 1.13 | 6.0 | 2-7 |
| Fertility preservation options | 5.64 | 1.33 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
| School | 5.32 | 1.21 | 5.0 | 1-7 |
| Complementary therapy | 4.07 | 1.70 | 5.0 | 0-7 |
| Additional topics for leukemia/lymphoma patients only | ||||
| Medication adherence | 6.77 | 0.54 | 7.0 | 4-7 |
| Steroid side effects | 6.61 | 0.62 | 7.0 | 4-7 |
| Vincristine side effects | 6.46 | 0.63 | 7.0 | 4-7 |
| Neutropenic precautions | 6.38 | 1.11 | 7.0 | 1-7 |
| Bleeding precautions | 5.96 | 1.18 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
| Procedures | 5.79 | 1.22 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
| Anemia | 5.50 | 1.29 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
| Nutrition | 5.48 | 1.08 | 6.0 | 2-7 |
| Additional topics for solid tumor patients only | ||||
| Postoperative/wound care | 6.43 | 0.83 | 7.0 | 4-7 |
| Pain | 6.43 | 0.87 | 7.0 | 4-7 |
| Physical limitations | 5.89 | 1.2 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
| Pegfilgrastim/G-CSF (neupogenTM) | 5.88 | 1.10 | 6.0 | 2-7 |
| Safety | 5.88 | 1.34 | 6.0 | 2-7 |
| Local control: surgery and/or radiation | 5.52 | 1.44 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
| Nutrition | 5.34 | 1.38 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
| Additional topics for CNS tumor patients only | ||||
| Increased intracranial pressure | 6.48 | 1.31 | 7.0 | 0-7 |
| Seizures | 6.38 | 1.27 | 7.0 | 0-7 |
| Shunt malfunctions | 6.36 | 1.37 | 7.0 | 0-7 |
| Steroid side effects | 6.36 | 0.75 | 6.0 | 4-7 |
| Vomiting | 6.29 | 1.16 | 7.0 | 0-7 |
| Postoperative/wound care | 6.29 | 0.89 | 6.5 | 4-7 |
| Headaches | 6.18 | 0.92 | 6.0 | 4-7 |
| Safety | 6.00 | 1.47 | 7.0 | 0-7 |
| Radiation | 5.77 | 1.29 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
| Physical limitations | 5.66 | 1.21 | 6.0 | 3-7 |
| Rehabilitation | 5.57 | 1.45 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
| Cognitive limitations | 5.32 | 1.45 | 6.0 | 1-7 |
Abbreviations: CNS, central nervous system; G-CSF; granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; SD, standard deviation.