by Joanne Boyk, CRNP, AOCNP at the Abramson Cancer Center at Chester County Hospital
When it comes to patient care, most people are familiar with the role of a physician, nurse or social worker, but fewer understand the profession of this increasingly in-demand clinician: the Nurse Practitioner (NP).
As an NP specializing in oncology, I focus on the overall care of a patient fighting cancer. We are there from the moment someone is diagnosed to life-long surveillance and follow-up once treatment is completed. At the Abramson Cancer Center at Chester County Hospital, we are fortunate to have a multidisciplinary group of nurse practitioners.
Over the past 10 years, our oncology team has grown to 10 physicians and 9 nurse practitioners who cover our inpatient consulting services at Chester County Hospital and our outpatient offices in West Chester, Exton and Kennett Square.
Nurse practitioners in an outpatient setting are important navigators of care within the office. They communicate with physicians about the patient’s care plan and they work with patient service representatives and nurses to ensure the plan is implemented. Our NPs have become experts in pain and symptom management, prescribing medications needed to support patients at the beginning of chemotherapy and throughout their treatment schedule. With the size of our team, we are able to offer consistent care for initial and follow-up visits during chemotherapy treatments, surveillance and survivorship.
One of the benefits of having a multidisciplinary group is the various experiences each NP brings to her position. We have several nurse practitioners with critical care backgrounds, which is helpful if an issue occurs in our infusion room. We also have nurse practitioners with strong primary care backgrounds, which is needed when managing co-morbidity conditions that patients often have. We now have a nurse practitioner with a strong palliative care background, which provides support in the development of end-of-life programs.
Hospital-based nurse practitioners are another important role. These clinicians function as hospitalists at Chester County Hospital and collaborate with rounding physicians to manage new patient consults, orders, and assessments for cancer patients. The transition of care from the office to hospital, hospital to office, or hospital to home or hospice is handled by this advanced provider.
The growth of our nurse practitioner staff has contributed important elements to improve our practice’s operations. They provide clinical services, see patients at chemotherapy treatments, routine follow-up appointments and are leaders in nursing, providing direction and support to clinical staff while serving as role models in the practice.
I am proud to work with such a diverse, intelligent and talented group of nurse practitioners and physicians at the Abramson Cancer Center at Chester County Hospital.