Purpose/objectives: To describe the use of telephone triage in the management of chemotherapy-related patient problems.
Data sources: Published articles, nursing texts, personal experience.
Data synthesis: With the impact of managed care and an increase in the number of patients being cared for at home, the need for a system of assessment and intervention that is not based on in-person visits is being recognized. Assessing patient symptoms over the phone and advising patients regarding appropriate care is being recognized as a common practice.
Conclusions: With the use of established protocols for assessment and treatment, nurses can successfully manage many patient needs over the phone.
Implications for nursing practice: Nurses play an active role in performing telephone triage and writing the appropriate protocols to facilitate safe and effective caregiving by phone.