PRISM: Priority Symptom Management Project phase I: assessment

To provide an overview of the process, goals, and outcome recommendations from the assessment phase of the Oncology Nursing Society's Priority Symptom Management (PRISM) project and to provide the foundation for a series of evidence-based practice and qualitative systematic review articles generated from the first phase of PRISM.

Published articles, abstracts, and books; computerized databases; nonpublished research; personal communications; and proceedings of the PRISM summit meeting.

Symptom management is a key component in quality cancer care. The assessment phase of PRISM yielded systematic reviews with an evidence-based framework to evaluate key symptoms, developed a framework for teaching and evaluating other symptoms, and recommended future ONS initiatives.

Outcome recommendations from the PRISM summit targeted practice; professional and public education; research; and health policy.

These activities provide background for subsequent evidence-based practice and qualitative systematic review articles that will focus on cancer symptom management.