Nurses' repeat measurement of chemotherapy symptoms: feasibility, resulting information, patient satisfaction.

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a repeated measurement of 5 major side effects (pain, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and fatigue) experienced by patients during an entire course of chemotherapy. Forty-nine inpatients receiving intravenous chemotherapy in the Medical Oncology Department of the Institut Paoli-Calmettes (Marseilles, France) were included in the study. At the study entry and every 12 hours from beginning of chemotherapy course, nurses assessed symptoms using Visual Analogic Scales (except for vomiting measured in number of episodes).