Table 3.

Common symptoms and supportive care needs during HCT nadir and engraftment

• Fatigue

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Neutropenic fever

• Pain

• Constipation

• Mucositis (and/or esophagitis, stomatitis)

• Rash (and/or engraftment syndrome)

• Decreased appetite

• Changes with taste

• Insomnia

• Difficulty with concentration and memory (i.e., chemo brain)

• Anxiety

• Depressive symptoms

We recommend using published resources for oncology nurses to guide assessments and interventions during this phase of HCT. One resource to consider is a cancer symptom management pocket guide for nurses by Irwin & Johnson.⁵⁸