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Pictured above: Karen Pribnow RN is a cancer nurse navigator at Saint Elizabeth
Dr. Michael Norris, general surgeon, says that the cancer nurse navigators at Saint Elizabeth have been extremely helpful to his patients. “They provide emotional support when my patients need it most. They take the time to build a relationship with the patient and can be a great resource to the patient throughout their treatment and beyond.”
How can a cancer nurse navigator make a difference for your patients?
• Provide support and information from diagnosis through treatment. They consult with physicians and other health care providers as needed to help patients find answers to their questions
• Coordinate support services, such as nutrition counseling or physical therapy
• Identify sources of financial support to help ease the financial stress of a cancer diagnosis
• Educate patients on cancer research trials that may be available
• Create Survivorship Care Plans. A Survivorship Care Plan provides patients and their health care providers with a comprehensive plan that includes a complete treatment summary and recommendations for follow-up care. This plan serves as a great reference tool for patients and their primary care providers, since patients may have late or long-term effects from treatment.
Our oncology-certified cancer nurse navigators at Saint Elizabeth are making a difference in cancer patients’ lives. They are minimizing the stress that takes a toll on cancer patients.
Our navigators begin helping patients at diagnosis and continue through the completion of treatment. They serve as a liaison between the patient and the health care team, providing support and information along the way.
Karen Pribnow RN, explains her role as a cancer nurse navigator at Saint Elizabeth, “We spend a lot of time talking and listening to our patients, so we can understand their emotional and physical stress levels. Once we know the patient’s concerns, we can help. It may be helping them deal with side effects from treatment or connecting them to appropriate resources.
The cancer nurse navigator program, which began in 2007, is a service provided free of charge to all cancer patients at Saint Elizabeth. Cancer nurse navigators are not only available to cancer patients and their families, but they can also be a resource to providers. If you need information on supporting a cancer patient through treatment or post-treatment, please contact our cancer nurse navigators at (402) 219-5000.