Articles & White Papers

I have asked Robin Atkinson to share about her GYN Navigation position and how it evolved from an idea to a full-time position. Her story reflects an idea that was taken to a cancer program by a champion who had a plan for this vision.

I cherish the Saturday morning breakfasts with my daughter and am fortunate to have other lively family members join us. A recent meal had us discussing “liquids if the gods.” It all started as a joke around the coffee the females thought they needed each morning.

It is exciting to see survivorship come to the forefront of cancer care. It is not possible to compartmentalize survivorship care as the part of treatment that occurs after chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Navigators recognize how survivorship weaves in throughout the treatment phase.

The presentation from the American Institute for Cancer Research (2012), “New Research Shows Cancer Risks of Sedentary Lifestyle,” is astounding – the longer you sit, the higher the risk for developing cancer! Yes, it is advantageous to have a lower body weight and to exercise regularly, but are we tuned in to the length of our daily sitting time?

How many metaphors can be used to describe a navigator’s job? It was interesting and visionary to hear all the descriptions given at the 2011 Navigation and Survivorship Conference.

How many evenings do you read articles or news related to work? It is a hazard of the job unless there is time built in at work….I know….I was just dreaming! In reality, reading about your specialty or oncology advances is a professional commitment to stay abreast of the latest for your patients. It is amazing what has transpired over the past 10 years in oncology—just look at all the news on multiple myeloma and melanoma.

It is interesting to read or see opposing views on an issue in medical care. Healthcare professionals do a wonderful job on quoting facts and research findings. What is normally missing is the voice of the patient.

Disparities in cancer are a core job activity that navigators encounter and work against on a daily basis. A recent news release on the disparity between recommendations and practice for breast and ovarian genetic testing was disheartening.

Do you ever read the latest research studies and ponder that if you took a conclusion from one study and combined it with a conclusion from another, there might be an avenue for better navigation? This might be a hazard of reading too many findings at one setting!