Interestingly, I found a study just recently in regards to telephone support for your patients. Now I can look at it from my perspective as a patient and say, it felt good to have someone care enough to call and check on me. As a healthcare provider, I do make those same calls but it also becomes a little confusing as to who will make the follow up calls. Should it be the Dr.'s Nurse or should it be their Chemo Nurse or can it be the Nurse Educator? Is it a service or disservice? The study actually states that there is a perceived benefit because most people enjoy the individual attention. People like one on one contact and I like knowing for myself, that someone knows my name and face and not just me being another breast cancer patient. There are critical times to call according to the study and most times that is right as the patient arrives home from the hospital. Unfortunately for my part, I don't always know when that is as patients not only have surgery locally but also go out of town for surgery and on top of that, not everyone comes to the oncology practice after diagnosis, which I feel is a very important step for patients in the decision making process. There were also patients that rejected the calls as they had chosen not to focus on the disease and treatment and prefer to talk to directly to their doctor or family and friends. So where does that leaves us? Meeting the patient as they arrive at this institute gives me the opportunity to open up discussion and meet that person and put a name to my face so when I call, they are familiar with who I am and what I have to offer. Most cases, I have been well received and deeply appreciated, on rare occasion, the patient may say, I don't need support- I have family, friends, etc. I respect their privacy and take them off my list. I do feel that we must be respectful of the patient and the patient's needs. Privacy for the patient should be one of most important strategies. I have also heard, I have the internet and that will take care of what I need to know. Attitudes can and will be different and it takes some insight as to what side of the coin your patient is falling on . I will continue to make calls as I see the benefit and I will screen patients as to who may a
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AuthorMy name is Sue Kilburn and I am a clinical nurse breast cancer educator at the Yolanda G. Barco Oncology Institute in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Archives
March 2015
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