Identifying patient symptoms after radiotherapy using a nurse-managed telephone interview.
OBJECTIVE
To identify patients' symptoms following completion of radiotherapy for common cancers by a nurse-managed telephone interview.


METHODS
Quality assurance project.


METHODS
Radiation therapy department in a community hospital in a large midwestern city.


METHODS
One hundred eleven patients treated by radiotherapy for primary cancer of the prostate, head/neck, lung, and breast.


METHODS
Two time points of data collection: nurses completed an end-of-treatment symptom evaluation within the last five days of treatment and conducted telephone interviews 14-21 days post-therapy. Interview questions were based on each individual's end-of-treatment symptoms and common site-specific side effects.


METHODS
Symptoms at end of treatment and 14-21 days after therapy completion, nursing assessments and interventions, and length of telephone interview.


RESULTS
At the end of treatment, 104 (94%) patients were experiencing symptoms. Nurses contacted 106 (95%) patients by telephone 14-21 days after therapy completion and assessed symptoms in 84 (79%) patients. Nineteen (18%) patients reported the development of a new symptom. Nurses independently managed 95% of the calls.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of patients experienced symptoms in the immediate post-therapy period. Telephone follow-up interviews served as a mechanism for evaluating short-term morbidity and provided the opportunity for nurses to intervene with many patients.


CONCLUSIONS
A nurse-managed telephone follow-up program can be used as a component of a quality improvement process in radiation centers to assess patients' post-treatment symptoms and provide education and support.
Rose
M A
MA
Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA.
Shrader-Bogen
C L
CL
Korlath
G
G
Priem
J
J
Larson
L R
LR
D000328:Adult; D000359:Aftercare / Q000379:methods; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000532:radiotherapy; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013689:Telephone; D017749:Total Quality Management