Those who know me will tell you I am a passionate Oncology Certified Registered Nurse, soon board-certified patient advocate. I have prior work experience in both the medical and hospitality field, allowing me to serve and comfort patients by listening to their needs and concerns. It has allowed me an opportunity and perspective to deliver exceptional patient-centered care, always remembering to see the person, not only the diagnosis. I have over twenty years of leadership and management experience, including operating a multi-level rooftop restaurant/bar in New York City. In addition, I managed an ambulatory plastic surgery practice with two operating rooms and three physicians in just one of the three locations I oversaw. I led by empowering and valuing every team member with many physicians and supportive care teams at each location. I learned organizational and detail-oriented skills early in my career path to becoming an expert in accreditation and assessments with JACHO with credentialing professional team members.
Although becoming a nurse is my second career, becoming an oncology and hospice nurse has always been my dream. I cherish the honor of caring for a patient on darker days and the challenges in the details of caring for oncology patients, each going through a traumatic interruption in life called cancer. I find it very rewarding to make a difference by providing comfort or a smile on a patient's bad days. This passion drives me to find directions to expand compassionate care beyond the confines of regularly scheduled office visits, including continually striving to go above and beyond for the patient's care, experience, safety, well-being, and outcome.
My priority has always been to improve a patient's care journey with a smile, a hug, or providing care and advocacy improving the care experience not settleing for anything but delivery of clinical excellence, respect, and care satisfaction for the patient and caregiver in a concierge-type approach to care needs, similar to how a friend or family member would care for one another. I see the person, not the patient or the diagnosis label never a "to-do item for a job duty." I see the extreme honor in the trust to provide the best care and to be allowed into a person's life journey during a dark if not the darkest scariest time. The patients I have had the privilege to know and care for have all impacted me in some way and inspired me to be a better person, a stronger woman, and a person who represents the definition of perseverance as I have watched each have day after day.
I had the honor to work as the Lead Breast Oncology Nurse for Dr. Joyce O'Shaughnessy. She is an oncologist passionate and a strong patient care advocate and diligent in doing her part in research and advancements, allowing for new treatment opportunities and care standards. Her care delivery in providing support of achieving patient-centered care and planning with the patient a key memeber of the care team plans to strive for the best patient outcome in managing of challenging, complex breast cancer diagnoseses that many oncologist ran out of options for the patient before arriving to her clinic. Our work styles of strong work ethic and to deliver the best care possible allowing the patient the attention for addressing all needs with valuing the person showing respect to the person's time regardless of what was happening outside of the patient's room.
I am also known for my extremely high standards in patient care and being a strong patient advocate. I assisted her with symptom management and prevention techniques given direction and her expert oncologist respected around the world. I provided chemotherapy and treatment discussions delivering patient education on upcoming treatment plans giving a detailed outline of the prevention protocol of symptom management and most of all prevention. I provided patient education going through detailed answers to best explain what to do in various scenarios or situations along with tips from previous patients. I provided instruction on new advancements and testing to members of the breast community, especially in regards to latest developments in pathology testing and next gene sequencing, equipping the oncologist with a better insight into the disease and the most data possible in chosing an optimal treatment plan to achieve the best patient outcome.
I attended a highly recognized nursing program in New York City known for its scrutiny and graduating nurses having above-average clinical knowledge and expertise. After graduating, I returned to receive my BSN with honors while holding a six-month-old baby in my arms or hip, depending on the day.
As a seasoned veteran of all aspects of customer service in the hospitality field in the development, branding, operational systems, and critical problem-solving, fast as the problem came to light, I utilized those leadership skills learned, applying them to my nursing career.
I started my nursing career at Southeast Medical Center in Dothan, Alabama, serving the southeast portion of Alabama, southwest Georgia, and the Florida panhandle. While there, I worked in an Oncology, Med Surg, and eventually Palliative Care unit. I had the honor of assisting with developing the palliative care program and setting up comfort care wings to allow the patient and family privacy at the end of life. In addition, I served on a service essential panel to improve the patient experience at the hospital; I also served as the oncology floor advocate, champion of care, and educator to my peers on service essential processes improvements and implementation.
I am receiving my Master's in Nursing Management and Leadership, and I am excited to see where my career path takes me on my journey in caring for a patient population that deserves better than the best care, and now it has.
I pursued my dream last December, following my life's purpose and calling. I opened the doors of Servant Heart Advocates serving as a nurse-patient advocate and providing emotional, educational resources and assistance in care needs and concerns. I allow a patient to make an informed decision equipped with the knowledge of NCCN guidelines and evidence-based data with newest advancements. I aid in appointment preparation to maximize the time in front of care team members by developing goals and questions to ask with the patient before the visit regarding the concerns or questions in symptom management and prevention, treatment plans, or a cancer diagnosis/staging details.
I follow up with the patient the next day after treatment or a doctor's visit. I also assist the patient with pharmacy questions and with finding any resources they might benefit from in support groups or other patients/caregivers' concerns. I serve many roles with the patient for the ease of mind and improve the anxiety that goes along with a diagnosis and treatment, always remaining by their side, on their team for the patient's best interest and well-being, not having an affiliation with a practice, physician, or any insurance company. I am genuinely in this role for the patient's best interest. I see you, the patient, first, always before the diagnosis because you are not your diagnosis. I follow and assist many patients from diagnosis and onward.
A tad about me, I spend my time with my two young daughters, husband, and two golden retrievers in my free time. I love reading for pleasure and learning about new treatments and research trials in oncology. I am grateful to be in a field where I will continuously learn and evolve as a professional. #patientadvocate #breastoncology #Icare