Dear Navigators, Social Workers, Administrators, and Clinical Staff,
The role of an oncology nurse navigator is complex, as I am sure you will attest. So many times, our patients tell us that we are the “lifesavers” because we are their advocate, their touchstone, the person who removed or resolved barriers that could have prevented them from getting through treatment; but there are also times when we are quite literally their lifesavers; when we identify a clinical situation that can be life-threatening.
It’s this part of our job, these “catches,” that contribute to extraordinary care. We believe these catches should be recognized, celebrated, and shared to inspire others in their role as navigators.
To this end, the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators launched the AONN+ CATCH Initiative! Catching & Addressing Threats to Care & Health, or CATCH, is a reporting system that tracks navigators’ interventions and their positive outcomes.
Allow me to provide an example of a CATCH:
The Incident: Navigator followed up with patient post-op and utilized triage skills to determine surgical complication symptoms.
The Intervention (CATCH): Recognizing deep vein thrombosis symptoms, the navigator immediately referred the patient to the emergency department and informed the patient’s surgeon.
Outcome: Patient was found to have a blood clot and was treated accordingly in a timely manner, limiting detrimental effects and ultimately saving the patient’s life.
AONN+ Metric Alignment: Interventions (Domain: Care Coordination)
We are delighted to present the first CATCH of the Month to Shana Smith, MSN, RN, OCN, of Vidant Medical Center!
Have a CATCH to report? AONN+ members can submit a CATCH on our website at AONNonline.org/community/catch. AONN+ Leadership will select a CATCH of the Month to appear in JONS and a CATCH of the Year to be awarded at the AONN+ Annual Conference.
We are excited to honor the work you do each day through the CATCH Initiative.
Sincerely,
Lillie D. Shockney, RN, BS, MAS, HON-ONN-CG
Editor-in-Chief, JONS
University Distinguished Service Professor of Breast Cancer; Professor of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Co-Developer of Work Stride: Managing Cancer at Work, Johns Hopkins Healthcare Solutions; Co-Founder of AONN+; Co-Founder of the Association of Chronic & Complex Care Nurse Navigators (ACCCNN).
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