The 3 "Other" Roles of an Oncology Nurse

May is Oncology Nursing Month, making it the perfect time to highlight the caregivers who help people navigate one of the most challenging times of their lives – a cancer diagnosis.

Oncology nurses are healthcare professionals who are specially trained to administer chemotherapy and radiation treatments. They are also responsible for monitoring cancer patients’ vital signs and overall well-being, helping them manage pain and lessen side effects as they undergo treatment.

But that’s not all they do. Oncology nurses play three lesser known, but very important, roles in the life of a cancer patient.

• Oncology nurses are teachers. Oncology nurses are experts when it comes to cancer and cancer treatments. They help the patient and his or her family understand the disease. They explain the treatment process. They use their clinical knowledge and technical expertise to ensure the patient understands what is happening with their body in every stage of treatment.
• Oncology nurses are counselors. In addition to addressing the physical needs of their patients, oncology nurses care for their patients’ emotional well-being. They listen to their concerns. They ask questions. Based on what they hear, they are able to connect patients to resources outside the hospital that can help with the mental, financial, and family-related stress that comes along with a cancer diagnosis.
• Oncology nurses are friends. Over time, oncology nurses and the patients they serve develop a close relationship. They celebrate milestones, birthdays, and holidays together. They also mourn setbacks and losses. In the end, nurses form an attachment to their patients that cannot be described in any other way than “friendship.”

Things are no different at CVMC, where our staff of highly-trained and experienced oncology nurses work to ensure the best quality of life and care for each patient. Cancer Resource Nurses and Dedicated Nurse Navigators support and educate cancer patients and their families about the disease, walk them through treatment, and connect them to support groups and other local community resources.

As a profession, nursing is considered both one of the most challenging and rewarding. In addition to being highly trained, an oncology nurse must also be able to connect with his or her patients and build trust. In other words, it takes a uniquely-qualified individual to do the job and do it well… and CVMC has a staff full of them.

For more information, visit Catawba Valley Medical Center’s Comprehensive Community Cancer Center.