Professional Roles and Responsibilities

Since the inception of navigation programs in 2001, a variety of programs have been developed across the country.

The financial burden associated with a cancer diagnosis and treatment is often referred to as financial toxicity.

The role of the breast nurse navigator (BNN) during the treatment phase of the care continuum involves educating patients and families and assisting them with overcoming barriers to care by linking them to appropriate resources.

The advent of oral chemotherapy agents has changed the treatment plan for many oncology patients.

Breast cancer is the number one cancer diagnosis in Nigerian women; 100,000 new cases are diagnosed annually.

To integrate advanced nursing knowledge on how to prevent and treat job stress for nurses by analyzing, developing, implementing, and evaluating an education program on awareness and prevention related to job stress.

A navigator’s interventions with a patient throughout treatment include disease-specific education packet, referrals to specialists, resources and supportive care team members, providing timely appointments, presentation at Breast Tumor Board, chemotherapy education, and performing a treatment summary.

To advance quality patient care and ensure all parties are working toward a common goal, navigators must integrate with oncology/hematology physician practices. At the AONN+ 8th Annual Navigation & Survivorship Conference, Tricia Strusowski, RN, MS discussed approaches to integration.

Since the inception of the oncology nurse navigator (ONN) program at Memorial Hermann Hospital System (MHHS) in 2009, the role of the ONN was vastly misunderstood, and the overall potential benefits for the hospital and patient were undefined.

The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators conducted a 1.5-day live conference April 27-29, 2017, in Phoenix, AZ.