When the month of May comes around, we always look forward to celebrating one of the most important members of any patient’s oncology care team: the oncology nurse and/or your oncology nurse practitioner (NP). Oncology nurses are integral during every phase and stage as you navigate treatment and beyond.
Oncology nurses and NPs are highly specialized and invaluable to you, your oncologist, and your broader surrounding care team. Over the years, the roles and responsibilities of oncology nurses and NPs have expanded significantly. They are deeply involved in patient education and assessment, care coordination, symptom management, supportive care, and more, but their role goes beyond clinical tasks. Over half of oncology nurses and NPs surveyed reported that they help initiate sensitive topics and 87% reported they provide emotional support, lending an empathetic ear and comfort to patients and their families as they navigate the challenges of treatment.
In addition to providing direct-to-patient care, oncology nurses and NPs are becoming more involved in multidisciplinary teams. They often work closely with palliative care teams to improve quality of life and some may even collaborate with oncologists to help guide treatment decisions. The role of an oncology nurse or NP demands a diverse skill set that combines advanced clinical expertise with the ability to provide compassionate, patient-centered support.
Today and every day, they should be recognized for their strength, value, and relentless commitment. The American Nurses Association (ANA) has worked tirelessly for over 50 years with both the International Council of Nurses and the United States Congress to officially recognize the contribution of nurses around the world, with Nurses Week officially designated in 1994.
So, what can you do to honor your oncology nurse or oncology nurse practitioner?
Say thank you – from one to one
If you’ve developed a special relationship with a nurse on your care team, consider taking a minute to reach out in May and say a heartfelt thank you for the quality of care provided by your nurse. If you’ve been cared for by a nurse or NP whose name has slipped your mind, you can always send a note to the hospital unit and call them out with a specific description. For example, a note addressed “to the nurse with the purple sneakers who took care of me on Wednesdays at 4:00pm” should do the trick.
Say thank you – from one to all
You can always email the hospital administration and tell them about a nurse or NP who you feel has gone above and beyond for you. These emails go to staff who might be responsible for accelerating your nurse’s career path and/or compensation and your feedback matters. If you’ve established a special relationship with your oncology nurse, consider thanking them in a more public forum using the hashtag #NationalNursesWeek.
When you’re thinking about who to thank this May, remember there’s probably more than one oncology nurse on your care team. There may also be a clinical nurse specialist (CNS), nurse anesthetist (CRNA), clinical trials nurse, home health nurse, hospice nurse, nurse navigator, as well as nurses designated to specific therapies such as radiation therapy and infusion (targeted) therapy.
If you would like to connect with an Outcomes4Me oncology nurse practitioner at no charge through the Outcomes4Me app, just use the “Ask Outcomes4Me” button.
