ABSTRACT
Once the provisional care plan has been agreed, assessment continues throughout to ensure interventions and treatment are adjusted to meet the patient's and family's needs. Symptoms related to cancer do not take place in isolation. Cancer causes other problems. Therefore, throughout assessment the professional must consider the holistic needs of the patient and family covering some aspects of the individual's life. Assessment provides an opportunity to gain insight into the illness and its impact on the individual's and family's life. If assessment is thorough and part of mutual openness and understanding, effective treatment and intervention can be made jointly on the basis of a shared understanding. Assessment tools can aid the flow and structure and ensure specific information is obtained and or measured. Assessment tools can be disadvantageous, creating a barrier between the patient and professional, taking the focus away from the patient's identified needs or concerns.
