Outpatient Hematology/Oncology Nursing
Nursing Manager: Mary Newman, BSN, RN
The Hematology/Oncology Clinic provides comprehensive outpatient services to children and families with hematological and oncological diagnoses. We care for patients from birth through age 18. Services in the outpatient clinic and day therapy area include, but are not limited to: diagnostic workups, physical exams by physicians, phlebotomy, peripheral IV insertion, central line access and care, medication administration, chemotherapy administration, blood product administration, emergency care, lumbar punctures, pheresis services by the American Red Cross, autologous blood collections for pre-operative patients, pre-, post- and intra-sedation monitoring, and the initiation of the admission process to the hospital. Nurses in the Hematology/Oncology Clinic assess, plan and initiate care for a variety of patients, while collaborating with the interdisciplinary team. Disease-specific and supportive care education is provided to patients and families on an ongoing basis. Education and anticipatory guidance is provided during clinic visits and through utilization of the telephone triage process.
The Hematology/Oncology Clinic and Day Therapy is staffed by five Registered Nurses daily. Hours of operation are from 8a.m. through 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Nurses are assigned to various roles each day. Nurses work collaboratively with providers to care for each patient’s needs during the clinic visit. Nursing care delivery of each patient is assigned by the charge nurse each day, with revisions based on patient acuity and staffing availability. One nurse is assigned each day to the Phone Triage position, answering calls from patients and families re: treatment, medications and side effects. The phone triage nurse also provides education and anticipatory guidance to families over the phone.
Nurses complete hospital and nursing orientation prior to beginning a detailed clinic-based orientation program. Nurses are assigned to a preceptor who is both experienced and competent in the necessary elements of patient care in the outpatient Hem/Onc setting. The orientation program is facilitated by the Hem/Onc Clinical Instructor. Clinic-based orientation encompasses learning, demonstration and documentation of competencies in IV insertion, chemotherapy administration and sedation as per hospital-based nursing practice. Nurses are also certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support.
Educational efforts are accomplished through both internal and external educational sessions, including hospital-based lectures, interdisciplinary educational forums and external conferences and seminars relevant to clinical practice. The Hem/Onc Clinical Instructor also conducts educational forums which are specific to patient care needs and identified learning needs of the outpatient nurses. Such forums include journal article reviews, product inservices, disease-specific lectures and patient-specific team meetings.
