| Sumario: | Significance & Background: Patients initiating chemotherapy often experience emotional distress and cognitive overload during clinic visits, which can impair their ability to absorb and retain critical treatment in-formation. This gap in understanding may lead to in-creased anxiety, reduced adherence to treatment protocols, and lower satisfaction with care. The addition of nurse navigators has assisted in addressing these issues, however there are still multiple clinics that do not utilize nurse navigators. Purpose: This quality improvement initiative aimed to enhance the preparedness and confidence of non-navigated patients scheduled for Cycle 1, Day 1 (C1D1) chemotherapy in an ambulatory setting. The project sought to reduce anxiety and improve comprehension of the chemotherapy experience, through additional reeducation, resulting in compliant care. Interventions: Non-navigated C1D1 patients received a standardized preparatory educational phone call 24-48 hours prior to their initial chemotherapy session. Registered nurses used a standardized script to ensure consistent communication of essential information to help patients feel informed, equipped, and ready for treatment. Patient preparedness was assessed using a three-question survey. Results: Baseline data collected over four weeks prior to implementation showed that 62% of patients felt adequately prepared. Following the intervention, preparedness scores increased more than 15% over a 90-day period, indicating that standardized pre-treatment education significantly improved patient readiness and confidence. Discussion: This initiative demonstrated that even modest, low-resource interventions can lead to meaningful improvements in patient outcomes. Standardizing the pre-treatment education process empowered non-navigated patients with greater clarity and confidence ahead of their first chemotherapy cycle, establishing a vital foundation for safe, informed, and engaged care.
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