Many patients need to be educated about their disease. Other patients just need reassurance prior to their appointment. They have lots of anxieties and need to know that it's "OK" that they're anxious, but I like to be a support for them. Patients also have families. They bring their families, and their families need just as much support as they do.

Being diagnosed with cancer can be extremely anxiety producing for a patient. They've never had cancer before. It's important that we're there as a support for the patient. Also, patients come to us, not only as a patient but a person. And these patients have a history and they like to tell their history. And as the Cancer Center staff, we all need to be aware of that history and listen to our patients.

I have many roles as a nurse coordinator. I work closely with the journey coordinator to ensure that the patient's entry into the system is as seamless as possible. I'm also a resource for my patients. I'm there to answer questions, provide support, be there for both the patient and the family. I facilitate communication among the physicians, the nurses and all the staff involved in the care of the patient. Our goal is that the outcomes will be improved through optimal coordination of care based on scientific evidence.

My role with the Cancer Center team begins when the patient enters the system, and we look at their diagnosis, what our treatment guidelines are. That determines where the patient needs to go, what physicians, what experts they need to see. From there, there's ongoing discussions with the physicians as to the best possible treatment for that patient based on the guidelines.

At Froedtert & The Medical College, we all work as a team, it's very collegial. The physicians look to the nurses, the nurses look to the physicians. We're always looking out for what is best for the patient.

There are multiple teams within the Clinical Cancer Center. In fact, there are 13 of them, each with a specific cancer focus. Having a focus on one specific cancer, one specific group of cancers, makes us experts in that field. We’re able to provide them with the state-of-the-art care.

Cancer today, patients have many treatment options and have access to many different experts to treat their cancer. Patients, however, don't know who are those experts that they need to see. By providing a clinical coordinator nurse and a journey coordinator, we can look at the patient's diagnosis and individualize the physicians that they see so they are provided with expert care.

My role as a clinical coordinator on the patient's cancer journey is important because I provide consistency for that patient. I'm one of those first persons that they meet along their journey; and as they’re going through their cancer journey, they know that they can call me as a resource, as a support person.

What sustains me throughout dealing with cancer patients is knowing that I've done the best I can for them, and that at the end of the day I can say I did my best and I’ve helped them either answer questions, gotten them to the appropriate physician and they feel like someone cares.