3:14pm | The MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute (TCI) at Long Beach Memorial has recently announced a new “patient navigation program” designed to help patients and their families navigate through the health care system, while making sure that their needs are addressed. According to MemorialCare, the goal of the navigation program is to coordinate care among physicians, diagnostic tests and cancer treatments, while offering education, support, and guidance to help patients and families cope with their challenges.

Rebecca Crane-Okada, Ph.D., R.N., C.N.S., A.O.C.N.®, became involved with the nurse navigator program through Team Spirit. “Being diagnosed with cancer can be very overwhelming,” says Rebecca. “Patients and families should only have to focus on healing. I try to help manage, or even alleviate, the peripheral worries for all involved.”

According to MemorialCare, a nurse navigator can explain terminology, the processes and order in which things need to happen; guide patients and their families through the maze of the initial diagnosis and treatment and, as they transition from completion of treatment into long-term wellness/survivorship. They can also help patients and family members anticipate needs and find resources ahead of time. A nurse navigator helps build a patients’ knowledge and self confidence, by helping them think through, formulate, and organize questions to ask their healthcare team, making patients better health care consumers. A nurse navigator works with the patient to build a positive recovery plan, by helping patients find the best resources, and make the most of the ones available to them.

Patients usually enter into the navigation program at TCI at the time of a new diagnosis of cancer, however, they also may enter into the program at the start of or during treatment, or if treatments change or problems arise. 

Other resources available to patients include a dedicated Licensed Clinical Social Worker, other RNs, an oncology life coach, mentors (cancer survivors) and research staff, who also help patients and families navigate through the health care system.

Crane-Okada likens her role as a nurse navigator to serving as a ‘compass’ to patients who are on their cancer ‘journey.’
 
“The nurse navigator’s primary role is to help ‘guide’ and ‘navigate’ patients through their journey,” says Crane-Okada. Together [nurse navigator and patient], we will do our best to overcome obstacles along the way, leading to what we hope to be a successful recovery and long-term survivorship.”