Evidence into Practice

The AONN+ Evidence into Practice Committee would like to extend thanks to all who responded to our recent survey in order to glean members’ knowledge and comfort level in quality, outcomes, performance improvement, and research projects that can be considered research in the broad sense of the word.

New to quality improvement and research and want to know how to begin? The AONN+ Mentorship Workgroup of the Evidence into Practice Committee have made it simple for you.

The role of the navigator along the continuum of care is bidimensional in nature with a patient-centered (empowerment with education and knowledge) and health system (multidisciplinary) orientation to deliver timely, seamless care. Within the multidisciplinary team, the navigator works as an advocate, care provider, educator, counselor, and facilitator to ensure that every patient receives comprehensive, timely, and quality healthcare services.

The scope of navigation has evolved from the Freeman model of community outreach and prevention to spanning the entire continuum of care for oncology patients. Navigators help individuals overcome barriers to care and navigate through the screening/diagnostic, treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life care continuum.

The case study for this discussion highlights the complexities of care coordination when patients arrive unprepared physically or mentally for the recommended medical treatments as determined by guidelines. It also shows how navigators can assemble needed care team players to efficiently guide the patient through prehabilitation and preparation for medical treatment.

Along with the diagnosis of breast cancer comes many decisions regarding treatment options. Oncotype DX, a genomic/gene expression assay, provides quantitative assessment of chemotherapy benefit and risk of distant recurrence in early-stage estrogen receptor–positive (ER+), HER2/neu-negative breast cancer to assist in developing individualized treatment plans.