With more than 30 years experience in nursing, including 20 years in oncology nursing, Helen Mansfield, RN, OCN, has served in the role of a patient navigator at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital since 1997.
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Helen Mansfield, RN, OCN, has served in the role of a Patient Navigator at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital since 1997. |
Mansfield will tell you it’s not her title that matters, but what she does on a daily basis to help cancer patients navigate the health care system that makes a difference.
“I see new cancer patients and go over whatever questions they may have,” said Mansfield. “I provide them with information about their disease, discuss what resources are available to them and advise them to take someone with them to their doctor appointments who can take notes. I check on them to see how they’re doing and I make rounds to visit our cancer inpatients.”
The Cancer Patient Navigator program at Sentara provides an extremely valuable service to patients receiving care through Sentara Cancer Network. Sentara offers the patient navigator service at Sentara CarePlex Hospital, Sentara Leigh Hospital, Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital and Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center. Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Sentara Obici Hospital have plans to add the service in the future.
“Cancer is a very complex disease with many different disciplines involved in patient care,” said Cindy Allen, director of business and clinical development, Cancer Centers of Virginia. “Fighting this disease is tough enough without having to worry about confusing medical and insurance issues.”
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Sentara RN Helen Mansfield provides cancer patients with resources and advice for navigating the disease. |
“Patient Navigators help the patient through the maze of doctor appointments, testing and patient support services that span the continuum of delivery,” said Allen. “Patient Navigators let patients and their families know they are not in it alone. They can help them overcome barriers and allow patients to focus on what they need to do — which is fighting their disease.”
“I think patients feel very lost at first,” said Mansfield. “They are so overwhelmed they don’t know where to start. Sometimes they feel like they’ve always had control over their lives and now they’ve lost it. Some of them are fearful about asking questions. The Internet can be a good resource for them, but it can also provide them with more information than they need or information that doesn’t apply to them.”
For this reason, the Sentara Cancer Network sponsors “The Journey Beyond the Diagnosis—Finding your Path to Survivorship,” a series of workshops with different topics held each month to help patients living with cancer.
Read for more information about Sentara Cancer programs and support groups or call 1-800-SENTARA.
Watch or download a Podcast of prostate cancer patient Bill Still as he talks to his Patient Navigator Glenda Williamson.
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