Improving the quality of nursing care: systematic nurse-led monitoring and implementation of a clinical tool for symptoms of acute toxicity in patients undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancers.

Many patients with otolaryngological (ENT) cancers are treated with various combinations of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Acute toxicity from radiation therapy can be experienced during and after treatment. Managing toxicity can be a complex process, often requiring the involvement of a multidisciplinary team. Early detection and management of treatment-related toxicity can improve short- and long-term outcomes for patients. Nurses, being at the heart of patient care, are in the best position to detect and treat acute toxicity. This paper explores a systematic nurse-led approach to monitoring acute toxicity. This approach was developed and implemented by a clinical oncology nurse in a university-affiliated cancer care centre to facilitate the early detection and management of symptoms in these patients.