Abstract
Background
A key to successful symptom management in patients with cancer is to adapt the treatment
to patient needs and complexities in an individual and dynamic manner. Rapid access
to a clinician via telephone consultation supports treatment compliance, safety, and
effectiveness and reduces the number of patients unnecessarily consulting emergency
departments.
Aims
To define the role of a cancer pain nurse in the management of unscheduled phone calls
to the clinic.
Design
The study is a retrospective analysis of unscheduled phone calls received at an outpatient
cancer pain clinic. Details collected included caller identification, reasons for
the call, and interventions provided. Actions taken after analysis of the nature of
calls are discussed.
Settings
Retrospective chart analysis.
Participants/Subjects
Medical charts of patients seen at the cancer pain clinic.
Methods
During three consecutive months, 102 unscheduled telephone calls fulfilling research
criteria were analyzed. Seventy-four percent were initiated by patients or carers.
In 46% and 45% of the calls, respectively, the reason for the call was to report a
symptom or concern about the treatment.
Results
Pain was the most common reported symptom (59.6%) followed by side effects (23.4%).
The most frequent inquiry about medications concerned renewal of prescriptions (47.8%).
The most common intervention was related to patients’ treatments (74.5%), and it included
an element of teaching in 51.3% of calls. In one third of cases, a prescription was
changed after the call. The nurse was able to provide the intervention without involving
a doctor in 87.3% of calls. Several changes were initiated after the analysis to decrease
unnecessary calls to the nurse.
Conclusions
A telephone call service available for patients and other clinicians is an efficient
way to enhance continuity of care for ambulatory patients. Continued efforts to make
such a service cost effective must be implemented.
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References
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- Ambulatory oncology nurses making the right call: Assessment and education in telephone triage practices.Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2013; 17: 335-336
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 28, 2019
Accepted:
July 22,
2019
Received in revised form:
May 10,
2019
Received:
August 7,
2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
