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In February 2019, to more fully support prostate cancer patients with sexual health and urinary recovery posttreatment, Sutter Medical Center Sacramento implemented a nurse navigator to facilitate patient participation in a survivorship support group and education around symptom management.

The value of staff development and continuing professional development for support staff (medical assistants, front desk staff, and new patient coordinators) in the oncology setting is often overlooked.

The program began with a general focus navigation model (breast, lung, gastrointestinal cancers), then transitioned to a breast navigation only model in March 2018 due to patient volumes and navigator bandwidth.

Healthcare disparities studies rely on socioeconomic factors to explain physical barriers, such as the inability to pay for services or transportation.

Many breast cancer survivors experience changes in their sexual health related to cancer treatment.

Studies demonstrate that many gynecological (Gyn) cancer patients are reluctant to exercise during and after treatment due to fatigue and general weakness. This is the most distressing symptom affecting their quality of life.

Our team implemented a survivorship needs assessment in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to determine the specific needs of the cancer survivors in a specified geographic area.

The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) promotes the goal to share best practices for survivorship and to address the question “Does the Survivorship Care Plan (SCP) Meet Patient Goals?” (Staci Oertle, RN, MSN, APN, AOCNP, AONN+ Survivorship Committee).

Per the American Cancer Society, there will be an estimated 20 million cancer survivors by 2026.

Survivorship care plans (SCPs) have played an important role in cancer care for over a decade and are included in the quality metrics or accreditation standards of several institutions, including the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (ACS CoC).