title: Nurse led electronic toxicity scoring in head and neck radiotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In order to improve 'adherence' to a course of treatment for head and neck radiotherapy, patients need to be managed frequently. In order to achieve this in a busy clinical environment streamlined electronic tools must be utilised. By providing nursing teams with the capacity to conduct electronic toxicity scoring on a bi-weekly basis, adherence can be improved and closer attention paid to head and neck radiotherapy toxicities.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 20 patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy was analysed. Each of these patients had electronic toxicity data recorded on a bi-weekly basis for dysphagia, mucositis, skin reaction and weight loss. This information was then extracted from the ARIA™ patient information system and analysed. Additionally the time taken for the nursing team to undertake each patient review was also extracted from ARIA™.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The efficiencies offered by an electronic medical record allow comprehensive toxicity data to be recorded and analysed effortlessly. The average time taken to review these patients on a bi-weekly basis was 6.97 min and contained on average 60 words of toxicity description and action.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electronic toxicity scoring offers many advantages to the radiation oncology nurse, increased efficiency allows more frequent patient interaction which will in turn aid adherence. In order to better manage the treatment course of head and neck radiotherapy patients, nurses must be provided with streamlined and efficient electronic means of recording data. In this way it is possible to review head and neck radiotherapy patients bi-weekly.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Queensland, Toowoomba 4350, Australia. emily.fox@roq.net.au
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Barrett-McNeil
authors.forename: Lift Hiong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Khoo
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Middleton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing / Q000503:physiopathology; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing / Q000503:physiopathology; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D052016:Mucositis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing; D009746:Nursing, Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011786:Quality Control; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015431:Weight Loss