Joanne saw fear melt away, the message sink in. "After two weeks, Bill
came back a fighter. He was ready to tackle his new job, of fighting
advanced prostate cancer in partnership with his healthcare team," she
says.
BEYOND BEING YOUR TEAM'S EYES AND EARS, HERE ARE MORE KEY ROLES
ONCOLOGY NURSES (ONs) PLAY:
THE GLUE: You'll have up to 9 (or more!) pros on your
healthcare team. ONs play a vital role in coordinating all the moving
people and parts of your treatment.
TRUTH DETECTOR: ONs have the unique vantage point of
being on the “front lines” of patient treatment, as they get to spend a
lot of time with the patients and get to know them well. Treatments
wiping you out? Side effects taking a toll? ONs often know, even if you
don't say. "Men tend to sweep symptoms under the rug. We know. And get
to the truth anyway."
MASTER EXPLAINER: Your ON knows your full treatment plan
and can walk you through, step by step.
CONSTANT COMPANION: Whomever you're visiting at the
clinic, your ON is likely to pop by to see you. "Men may not be as open
as women, but their anxieties, fears, frustrations…their needs are the
same." Your ON is with you on this journey, the friendly face you can
count on.
As told by Joanne M. Vanak, RN, MSN, Oncology
nurse.