Reflections

Nurse Navigation: The Ongoing Journey of a Nurse and a Patient

By

Gwen Spector, BSN, RN, COCN

Publish Date August 19, 2019

An ONN describes her journey as her role for a patient with FAP transitioned from nurse to navigator to friend to mentor.

The Nurse as Patient Advocate: What I Did When My Patient Had No Clothes

By

Danielle Gillaspie, RN, BSN

Publish Date July 3, 2018

Patient advocacy can lead nurses to take on great challenges in the course of caring for their patients or to brave the elements to retrieve replacements for a patient’s missing clothes.

A Witness to Letting Go: Nursing Care at the End of Life

By

Danielle Gillaspie, RN, BSN

Publish Date March 19, 2018

A new oncology nurse reflects on the first time she provided comfort care for a patient at the end of life and her family.

Managing Pain in the Crosshairs of an Opioid Crisis and HCAHPS-related Demands

By

Tahitia R. Timmons, MSN, RN-BC, OCN, VA-BC

Publish Date May 8, 2017

Patient expectations, clinician perception, and institutional objectives create a perfect storm of conflicting interests regarding pain management, especially given the current trend to control opioid use.

Tell me about your prostate cancer symptoms … Will most men talk or walk?

By

Neal Shore, MD, FACS

Publish Date September 4, 2015

Approximately 97% of men with advanced prostate cancer report being comfortable discussing their symptoms with their health care team. But the number of men who actually do so is significantly lower.

Post cancer treatment surveillance

By

Donald R. Fleming, MD

Publish Date January 29, 2015

Many patients place too high a value on the effectiveness of tumor markers in demonstrating their posttreatment status. Even after offering a detailed explanation of the true worth of these tests, the author’s patient still wants to know, “Are you going to order my tumor markers?”

Managing obesity should be part of cancer care

By

Donald R. Fleming, MD

Publish Date December 15, 2014

Effective weight management can enhance cancer treatment, improve patient outcomes, and reduce incidence of recurrence and mortality. As with encouraging smoking cessation, oncologists should talk to patients about achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

Achieving clinical trial participation through cooperative networks

By

Donald R. Fleming, MD

Publish Date October 27, 2014

Clinical trials could benefit from a greater number of participants with a dedicated cooperative network to support rural community cancer centers.

Out of Africa: Lessons on being a nurse

By

Maureen Timony, RN

Publish Date September 10, 2014

After participating in a mission trip, an oncology nurse realizes she got more out of her African adventure than she gave to the children of the small village outside Nairobi, Kenya.

Who called this code?

By

Aluem Tark, RN, BSN

Publish Date January 8, 2014

Have you ever felt the lasting effect of overhearing an offhand criticism about a clinical decision you made? This nurse reminds her colleagues that they need to advocate for their care as well as their patients.