Nurse-Driven Telephone Intervention in Improving Side Effects in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To explore the feasibility of a proactive nurse-driven telephone triage intervention for patients with cancer receiving first-line chemotherapy in the ambulatory setting.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To explore the symptom experience of patients receiving a nurse-driven telephone triage intervention while receiving chemotherapy in the ambulatory setting.

II. To explore the satisfaction of patients receiving a nurse-driven telephone triage intervention while receiving chemotherapy in the ambulatory setting.

III. To explore the frequency of emergency room visits and hospital admissions for symptom management by patients receiving a nurse-driven telephone triage intervention while receiving chemotherapy in the ambulatory setting.

OUTLINE:

During standard of care chemotherapy, patients receive up to 18 telephone calls from a nurse using a standardized triage call script over 20 minutes.

Inclusion criteria

• English speaking
• Newly diagnosed patients with a breast, sarcoma, or head and neck cancer diagnosis preparing to undergo first-line, standard of care chemotherapy (patients with head and neck cancer may be undergoing concurrent first-line chemotherapy and radiation treatment)
• All chemotherapy treatment to be completed at the study institution

Exclusion criteria

• Patients who have received previous chemotherapy treatment for cancer
• Patients who will be receiving chemotherapy on research protocols
• Pregnant patients, as they may be on unique treatment protocols outside standard of care or have symptom needs that are beyond the scope of this intervention
• Patients who are unable to verbalize (e.g. due to tracheostomy)