Advancing the science of symptom management

Since the publication of the original Symptom Management Model (Larson et a l. 1994), faculty and students at the University of California, San Francis co (UCSF) School of Nursing Centre for System Management have tested this m odel in research studies and expanded the model through collegial discussio ns and seminars. Aim. In this paper, we describe the evidence-based revised conceptual model , the three dimensions of the model, and the areas where further research i s needed. Background/Rationale. The experience of symptoms, minor to severe, prompts millions of patients to visit their healthcare providers each year. Symptom s not only create distress, but also disrupt social functioning. The manage ment of symptoms and their resulting outcomes often become the responsibili ty of the patient and his or her family members. Healthcare providers have difficulty developing symptom management strategies that can be applied acr oss acute and home-care settings because few models of symptom management h ave been tested empirically. To date, the majority of research on symptoms was directed toward studying a single symptom, such as pain or fatigue, or toward evaluating associated symptoms, such as depression and sleep disturbance. While this approach has advanced our understanding of some symptoms, we offer a generic symptom ma nagement model to provide direction for selecting clinical interventions, i nforming research, and bridging an array of symptoms associated with a vari ety of diseases and conditions. Finally, a broadly-based symptom management model allows the integration of science from other fields.