How Oncology Nurses Provide Quality Care Through Telephone Triage

As more patients with cancer are transitioned to outpatient settings to receive treatment, the importance of in-depth, focused telephone triage can’t be understated. The phone conversations between nurses and their patients provide a direct line to the oncology team and can help address symptoms, foster patient education, identify useful interventions, encourage side effect reporting, and identify potentially life-threatening situations. Ultimately, successful telephone triage requires a unique skill set for oncology nurses to communicate with their patients and recognize underlying issues.