Studying you could have metastatic breast most cancers (additionally known as stage IV or superior most cancers) may be overwhelming. You are having to course of your analysis and determine what’s subsequent.
That is the place nurse navigators and social staff are available in. They may also help with every thing from managing remedy negative effects to explaining your invoice and discovering monetary assist. Their roles are distinct, however there’s some overlap. Here is how they make your remedy journey just a little simpler.
What does an oncology nurse navigator do?
Oncology nurse navigators are registered nurses (RNs) with particular coaching in most cancers care. They may also help you:
- Higher perceive metastatic breast most cancers and your remedy choices
- Handle negative effects like nausea and ache
- Study extra about medical trials (research on medication that haven’t been accredited but) and discover out when you’re eligible
They’ll additionally refer you to nutritionists, bodily therapists, psychological well being professionals, and different assets.
What does a social employee do?
Social staff can:
- Assist with psychological well being issues
- Clarify billing and insurance coverage points
- Join you with assets like transportation to and from remedy
- Assist you perceive work-related points like short-term incapacity
- Assessment and renew purposes for monetary grants to assist pay for issues like medicines.
How do I discover monetary assist?
Social employee Malia Opat and nurse navigator Kayla Terrell are a part of an interdisciplinary workforce at The College of Kansas Most cancers Heart. Their group consists of dietitians, monetary navigators, and psychologists.
When somebody has monetary issues, medical doctors can refer them to Opat, who helps them type via what’s out there and the place they will bridge the gaps.
“One of many issues I do is to see if (folks with metastatic most cancers) qualify for Social Safety incapacity,” Opat says.
Some folks may additionally have entry to short-term incapacity or Household Medical Depart Act (FMLA) choices via their employers. There are native and nationwide grants folks can apply for, in addition to fuel playing cards and drug reductions — all of which may make an enormous distinction.
Opat additionally lets folks learn about locations like Hope Lodge, which affords free lodging when remedy is much from dwelling. Run by the American Most cancers Society, there are greater than 30 Hope Lodges across the U.S.
The place do I get instructional and emotional assist?
One of many challenges with any analysis is understanding what inquiries to ask. Terrell recommends assets just like the Nationwide Complete Most cancers Community (NCCN).
“It provides (folks) pattern questions that they might wish to ask after they see their medical doctors,” Terrell says.
Terrell helps folks handle their emotional well being by referring them to Turning Level, the most cancers heart’s free program for folks with most cancers and their households. They’ll study wholesome methods to handle most cancers’s psychological and social influence.
Navigating most cancers may be particularly difficult whenever you’re making an attempt to run a family and maintain down a job. That is the place telehealth performs a job.
“Individuals with younger youngsters actually discover telehealth visits to be an enormous assist,” Terrell says, as a result of they don’t have to go away the home or discover childcare throughout that point.
In case you’ve been recognized with metastatic breast most cancers, ask the physician about pairing you with a nurse navigator or social employee.
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