Navigating cancer care: How nurse navigators help patients through treatment

MURRAY — A cancer diagnosis can bring not only difficult medical decisions, but emotional and logistical challenges as well.

For 39-year-old Mallory, that reality set in quickly after she was diagnosed with breast cancer last October.

"I had a diagnostic mammogram because I found a lump," she said. "When you first get that phone call, it's obviously scary, it's very scary."

She said after her diagnosis came a flood of appointments, information and uncertainty.

"There are so many appointments. I had no idea how many appointments cancer patients went through," she said.

Soon after learning she had cancer, Mallory was connected with Kellie Brown, an oncology nurse navigator with Intermountain Health, who is also a breast cancer survivor.

Now, Brown helps support other women going through the same process. She said navigators aim to reach out to patients within 24 hours of an initial diagnosis.

"A big part of navigation is alleviating some of that fear in the waiting," she said. "If they have questions, concerns, whether it's something to do with their care, their treatment, their appointments or if they're nervous or anxious, we'll walk them through it."

Brown is part of a team of registered nurses with oncology-specific training and experience. Much of their communication with patients happens over the phone, though they sometimes meet in person. Brown said patients know they always have someone they can call.

"Breast cancer just comes out of nowhere," she said. "You were a wife and a mom and maybe had a job, and now you have to take a step back and care for yourself. I think for women, that's a bit of a struggle — to step back as a caregiver for everyone else and put yourself at the top of that priority list."

Nurse navigators work with patients early on, helping guide them through everything from diagnosis to treatment. They can help patients understand treatment options, connect with support services and find resources for challenges such as transportation, childcare or financial concerns.

"The navigator really is a central point of contact and kind of a lifeline for some patients," Brown said.

For Mallory, having someone to call with questions and concerns made a difficult process feel a little more manageable.

"She answered more phone calls than you could ever imagine from me," she said. "There are a lot of hard, a lot of really hard things that come … but having someone that you can call is just … it's priceless."

Intermountain Health said nurse navigation programs are available across several types of cancer care and are designed to help patients feel more informed and supported throughout treatment and recovery.

These types of programs are becoming more common nationwide and have been linked to reduced emergency department visits and improved patient outcomes.

Related topics