AONN Conference Helps Advance the Patient Navigation Profession

SAN ANTONIO—More than 300 oncology nurse and patient navigators discussed the advancement of their profession at the Second Annual Navigation and Survivorship Conference, a forum for navigators to connect with one another and discuss the changing landscape of patient navigation and survivorship care for patients with cancer. “Ultimately, the networking of these professionals is so important to patient care, because it enables a forum for the sharing of ideas and experiences to impact practice,” said Sean T. Walsh, executive director, Academy of Oncology Nurse Navigators (AONN)

Interactive sessions focused on how to make certain your cancer program will meet the recently released Cancer Program Standards 2012: Ensuring Patient-Centered Care from the Commission on Cancer, specifically sections 3.1 (Patient Navigation Process), 3.2 (Psychosocial Distress Screening), and 3.3 (Survivorship Care Plan). Navi gators also discussed practical ways to use the National Cancer Institute Com munity Cancer Centers Program’s Navi gation Matrix to identify and remove patient care barriers, to collaborate with other professionals for optimal patient care, and to develop best practices within the navigator community.

Highlights included the patient advocacy keynote given by Andy Miller, MHSE, CHES, executive vice president of mission for LIVESTRONG, and the poster podium sessions moderated by Lillie Shockney, RN, BS, MAS, CBCN, CBPN-IC. The 5 posters presented were chosen from more than 2 dozen displayed at the conference, and they illustrated the great research and endeavors of nurse and patient navigators.

Survivorship sessions provided a road map of how to set up and grow a program, as well as examples of successful programs at the George Washington Cancer Institute at George Wash ington Uni versity Medical Cen ter in Washington, DC; St. Mary’s Regional Cancer Center in Grand Junction, Colorado; and John Muir Cancer Institute in Walnut Creek, California. Survivorship keynote speaker Lillie Shockney shared her personal history with cancer from childhood through her own encounter with the disease and how she has persevered as a survivor.