title: Palliative care at the end of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the process of symptom management in the care of oncology patients with advanced cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Journal articles, evidence-based reviews, textbooks, and clinical guidelines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptom management is an essential component of oncology nursing practice that improves quality of life for patients and families throughout the cancer trajectory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Effective symptom management requires that oncology nurses holistically assess the patient's symptom experience and goals of care, formulate specific symptom diagnoses, and develop, implement, and evaluate the outcomes of an evidence-based plan of care that is individualized and acceptable to the patient.
authors.forename: Maureen T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Lynch
mesh_terms: D032722:Advance Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D001293:Attitude to Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019452:Terminally Ill; D014481:United States
keywords: Symptom management; anorexia; fatigue; oncology nursing; palliative care