Document Type
DNP Project
Department
School of Nursing
Date of Degree
Spring 2025
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Primary Advisor
Richard Ricciardi, PH.D., CRNP, FAANP, FAAN
Keywords
symptom assessment, neoplasms, patient care management
Abstract
Background
Evaluating symptoms in patients with advanced cancer is critical to mitigating symptom burden and improving quality of life. Cancer patients experience an array of physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms, which can significantly impact compliance with treatment, daily functioning, and well-being. Early and thorough assessment enables healthcare providers to identify and address these issues, ensuring symptom management strategies are tailored to the patient's needs.
Objective
This project aimed to implement the Edmonton System Assessment System (ESAS) in an inpatient oncology service and evaluate the acceptability (AIM), appropriateness (IAM), and feasibility (FIM) of the assessment by nurses and palliative care providers.
Methodology
Following the implementation science framework of Knowledge to Action, a quality improvement project was conducted utilizing a pretest-posttest survey to measure providers’ perceptions of implementing the ESAS.
Results
Eighty-four providers, eighty-one nurses, and three palliative care providers completed the pre and post-survey. Significant results were obtained in acceptability, pre-test M=12.55 SD = 3.3, post-test M= 15.13 SD=3.3; t(84) = -2.583, p <.001 and appropriateness pre-test M=12.45 SD = 3.42, post-test M= 15.4 SD=3.31; t(84) = -2.952, p <.001. The feasibility differences were not significant, pre-test M=14.21 SD = 2.84, post-test M= 15.19 SD=3.32; t(84) = -.976, p =.053.
Conclusion/Recommendations
The implementation of ESAS in an inpatient oncology setting was perceived as acceptable, appropriate, and beneficial for care management, as 82.1% of respondents believed the ESAS improved the care they delivered. Nurses also agreed that implementation was feasible within the project care setting. However, further research in multi-center settings is recommended to evaluate broader implementation and the impact on patient outcomes.
Implications
Standardizing the use of the ESAS for cancer symptom assessment has the potential to not only improve care delivery and workflow efficiency but also improve quality of life in oncology patients.
Copyright Notice
©2025 Rachel Mea. All rights reserved.
Recommended Citation
Mea, R. C. (2025). The Implementation of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System to Standardize Symptom Assessment. , (). Retrieved from https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/son_dnp/166
Open Access
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