Symptom assessment and management of outpatients receiving biotherapy: the application of a symptom report form.
Patients treated with high doses of biologic response modifiers (BRMs) often require hospitalization for monitoring and management of toxicities. However, with careful symptom assessment and management, patients can be treated safely with low-dose, long-term BRM regimens in an outpatient setting. Quantifiable, consistent, and accurate symptom assessment sets the groundwork for regular, effective symptom management. A symptom report form or nursing care flow sheet is a helpful daily assessment tool for recording and quantifying the most common side effects experienced by patients receiving BRMs. Parameters can be established and converted to a numerical code to provide a consistent guide for evaluating a patient's toxicities during treatment. Additional space on the report form allows for narrative comments about symptoms or concerns not addressed elsewhere. To be safe and effective, outpatient therapy of this kind requires excellent patient education and compliance, with easy access to a health care professional when necessary.
White
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CL
Mount Vernon Cancer Institute, Mount Vernon Hospital, Alexandria, VA 22306.
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000592:standards*; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009737:Nursing Records / Q000592:standards*; D014768:Virginia
D007155:Immunologic Factors