title: Evaluation of the Utility of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (revised) Scale on a Tertiary Palliative Care Unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS-r) Scale on a tertiary palliative care unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were 92 admitted patients who participated in the study; the scale was administered to those able to participate on day 1 (n = 35, 38 percent), on day 4 (n = 20, 21 percent), and weekly. Patient comfort level with the ESAS-r tool was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree) on day 4. Nurses' and physicians' perceptions of clinical assessment pre- and postimplementation of the scale were surveyed using a 5-point Likert scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the participating physicians, 75 percent (n = 3) found that the ESAS-r Scale did not enhance clinical assessment; the proportion of nurses with that response was 37.5 percent (n = 6). Among these care providers, 50 percent of the physicians (n = 2) and 62 percent of the nurses (n = 10) thought that the scale was burdensome to patients; but 60 percent of the patients who were able to complete the comfort-level survey (n = 12) indicated that they did not find the scale burdensome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient acuity, team expertise, perceived burden to patients, and time commitment all influenced staff's recommendation not to implement the ESAS-r tool on the palliative care unit.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Beddard-Huber
authors.forename: Jyothi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jayaraman
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yeomans
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001955:British Columbia; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D063189:Symptom Assessment / Q000379:methods*