symptomnavi.ch

The symptom flyers are not a substitute for consultation with your treatment team. If you are unsure or have any questions, please contact your treatment team. 

Vision

Cancer patients know what they can do themselves when symptoms occur

  • They recognise the symptoms of the disease or treatment
  • They correctly assess the severity of the symptoms
  • They take measures to alleviate the symptoms

This enables them to:

  • Fewer restrictions in everyday life or quality of life
  • Longer-term health
  • Cooperative partnership with specialists

The programme is accessible to all cancer patients, regardless of:

  • Stage of disease
  • Social situation
  • Origin

Promotion of self-management

We understand self-management to mean everything that people do to cope with a chronic or long-term illness. Professionals can promote self-management by cultivating a partnership with those affected and accompanying them on their personal journey as coaches.

The Symptom Navi programme offers three tools for this purpose:

  1. Symptom Navi flyers with evidence-based self-management recommendations for common symptoms and problems associated with cancer
  2. Educational discussions used by specialists to promote self-management
  3. Training courses for specialists to promote self-management and use of the Symptom Navi flyers

Leaflets – Educational discussions – Training

The Symptom Navi leaflets (flyers) can be used in paper form or digitally via the login area of the website. The use and application of the contents of the flyer set are subject to a fee. Ask your treating institution (practice, outpatient clinic, hospital) about access options.

Educational discussions for distributing the flyers and promoting self-management are systematic and theory-based. The educational discussions are based on the principles of patient education (Lorig, 2001) and are structured according to the 5 A's (Assess, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange) according to Lawn & Schoo (2010).

On-site training courses for treatment teams to promote self-management can be booked with the VFSM. Alternatively, further training courses to promote self-management with the Symptom Navi programme are organised by Oncology Nursing Switzerland.

 

The translations of all Symptom Navi leaflets into English were made possible by dedicated volunteers from Cancer Support Switzerland. We would like to thank them from the bottom of our hearts for their generous support!

For cancer patients

More detailed information for cancer patients can be found on the "For cancer patients" page.

Expert group

The expert group includes cancer patients and various specialists such as nursing professionals, doctors working in oncology, pharmacists and delegates from the Swiss Cancer League. This multi-professional group reviews new developments and updates to flyers.

Further information on the expert group can be found on the "About us" subpage. Click on the "Expert group" button.

Benefits of the Symptom Navi Programme

For cancer patients and their families

The educational discussions with the leaflets help to better recognise symptoms and assess their intensity. This provides reassurance in everyday life and facilitates communication with specialists.

For (nursing) professionals

The Symptom Navi programme provides clear structures and a standardised procedure for educational discussions. This makes it easier to set priorities and provide personalised coaching on self-management in what is often a hectic everyday life.

Quote: "Simple", "intuitive", "appealing", "instinctive", "with approaches that are easy to understand even if you are not working in the care sector".— CHUV, Lausanne

For institutions

Cancer patients know when they need to inform the treatment team about intense symptoms. Even novices in oncology can provide professional support for self-management with the Symptom Navi flyers.

Development institutions

Update and further development

To update the flyers, we conduct literature research and adapt the evidence-based recommendations in line with new findings. New flyers are developed as needed. The multi-professional expert group accompanies and validates all updates and developments of new flyers.

Sponsorship of flyers:

If a company or foundation sponsors the development or updating of a flyer, we can make it publicly available for one year.

Take a look at our offers and products 
 
What we have achieved so far

Click on the years to read about the milestones of the Symptom Navi programme.