Oncology nursing
Patient care on the front lines
by Cindy Whitcome
Nurse Marie Zano, R.N., OCN, shown here with patient Madeline Gear, believes patients place high value on the human element of care, along with competence and mastery of clinical practice.
When new patients come to the 10th floor of the Dana building at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for the first time, nurse Marie Zano can sense their anxiety and a wide range of other emotions.
Zano, R.N., OCN, is an infusion nurse for the Thoracic Oncology Program, which provides treatment for patients with lung and other chest cancers. The program includes cutting-edge therapies being evaluated in a clinical setting. Many of the patients begin treatment in the outpatient infusion area, where Zano administers their chemotherapy drugs intravenously.
"I think trust is one of the most important aspects of the relationships among patients, physicians, and nurses alike. Patients value competence in their caregivers, of course, but that human element of care is also extremely important," says Zano, who has worked in several positions for Dana-Farber and Dana-Farber/Partners CancerCare for 17 years. "Once patients get to know me, they just sit back and close their eyes while they're here. It's one of my favorite things about the job. I know I've gained their trust."
Nurses at Dana-Farber are called upon daily to earn the confidence of individual patients and families. They must also help meet the expectations of federal health organizations and other research funders, donors, and the general public, who look to the Institute to continually gain ground against cancer. Nurses see that patients' needs are met, and keep pace with the new treatments and clinical trials that characterize daily practice at a research-focused institution. They ensure that compassion guides interactions with patients and family members in vulnerable positions.
Patricia Reid Ponte, R.N.,D.N. Sc., chief of Nursing and Patient Care Services at Dana-Farber, is working with her colleagues to further strengthen what she describes as "the premier adult and pediatric oncology nursing and patient care service in the country."
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