No One Fights Alone Through Cancer

“No one fights alone”, that is the motto that I think of when I think of Jill Winther. Jill is a very experienced oncology certified nurse. She received her undergraduate degree in nursing from Bellin College in Green Bay, Wisconsin. She became a certified oncology nurse in 1994. Jill began her professional nursing career in oncology in an in-patient unit at Stanford University Hospital in 1991. It was there that she went from Novice to Expert working alongside residents and fellows with patients who had leukemia.

It was during this time that she was caring for a 21-year-old female who was undergoing inpatient induction for treatment for AML. The intense treatment resulted in patchy hair loss and the patient was distraught, as her fiancé was coming to visit. Jill assisted with shaving the remainder of the young girl’s hair, while the patient shed tears of loss and then provided a colorful scarf which was just what the girl needed for her visit. Jill also encountered another emotional female who was admitted for a 3-day inpatient chemotherapy stay. Being the extraordinary healer Jill is, she found out that the woman was dropped off at the hospital by her husband and moments before entering the hospital found out her husband was leaving her. Jill provided the emotional and physical support for the woman to make it through her treatment. She also coordinated a wedding in the unit for a couple when the prognosis was only days and being culturally sensitive, Jill was able to facilitate having a chicken sacrificed over a family member in their final days.

Nursing care provides holistic care to people. Many nurses say they choose nursing as a profession because they want to “help people”. As a new nurse, Jill says she would have said the same thing, however, as the years have passed it has become more than that for her. She states, “It is my privilege and a personal blessing to support and advocate for patients and families as they make their way through their cancer journey. Meaningful relationships are built daily through the stories, the laughter, the support, and the tears. “ She states, “It is in my nature to help and to utilize all of my resources to find the answers.” Her co-workers describe her as compassionate and understanding. She is viewed as an advocate for patients and their decisions.

When a long-term patient had progressed and no longer was a candidate for additional treatment they expressed, they felt like they were giving up. Jill provided emotional and physical support with a simple hand holding praising the patient for her courageous battle, supporting her decision for comfort care. Sometimes cancer is bigger than us.

Jill is married to a man who was enlisted in the Navy. From California, they were then sent to the state of Florida. She first worked on an inpatient bone marrow transplant unit and then went on to an outpatient facility. While she was working in the bone marrow transplant unit, from 1993-1996, she facilitated the I Can Cope Series from the American Cancer Society. I Can Cope series is a cancer patient education model designed to help individuals with cancer, their families, and friends navigate the challenges of the disease. The program includes education classes that clarify myths and facts about cancer, offering support and resources to those affected by the illness. She was acting as what we now call patient navigators. I am sure her foresight helped many people who were struggling with the process at that time. Extraordinary healers think holistically to support all the needs of the patients and families.

Jill has worn many hats as a nurse. In 1997, she took the role of nursing manager at a small newly formed clinic in southern Wisconsin where she not only led the team, hiring and training staff but also worked side by side with them mixing and administering oncologic therapies and triaging symptoms. It was there that she implemented standardized workflows utilizing the ONS/ASCO guidelines.

In 2008, Jill was hired as an infusion nurse for the newly formed oncology team at Bellin health. She brough with her a wealth of knowledge and experience and was instrumental in setting up policies and procedures founded in the current ONS/ASCO guidelines. She developed educational materials for patients receiving treatment and precepted many infusion nurses. As the team grew, she became a nursing leader once again.

She campaigned for the health organization to mandate the ONS Chemotherapy Immunotherapy provider card as the minimum requirement for handling and administering cytotoxic therapies and campaigned for ONC credentials within 3 years of employment and eventually it was added to the job description and remains the standard to this day. Jill believes certification improves outcomes. Extraordinary healers are advocates for patients and staff.

She later became the clinical educator for the Oncology Service Line. Education of staff and nursing professional development continued to be her focus. She successfully satisfied all the requirements to become Nursing Professional Development-Board Certified. Jill states, “It is very important for me to know that the nurses know the WHY behind their practice. Understanding the rationale is fundamentally important for setting up the foundation and providing the education to build upon this imperative as oncology nurses are greeted with ever changing environments. Knowledge is power and aids oncology nurses in educating patients and families, supporting teams, and being resources for each other.” Extraordinary healers share their knowledge and promote professionalism.

Jill worked on a project with a Genetics Provider to record and disperse a presentation geared toward primary care providers to provide genetic screening education on at risk primary care population. A screening tool was developed within the EMR. The numbers of referrals from primary care have increased as patients are now getting screened earlier.

She also provided education on Cancer via a Radio interview and to local groups like the Boy Scouts, Nursing Homes, Church groups, and Optimist Clubs.

Jill has participated in the Clinical Advancement Program since its inception in 2008. The program followed Benner’s Novice to Expert with 5 levels of participation with a goal of supporting the professional development of nurses. Nurses are expected to participate in system projects, system councils, evidence-based practice, and further professional education.

In 2021, Nursing Leadership (CNO) requested Jill and another individual to spearhead restructure of the program. They explored what other health systems were doing and reviewed journals. The new Advancement program has 3 levels with defined criteria with rewards for successful completion. She continues to lead this project and mentor nurses participating in the Advancement Program.

Jill was instrumental in identifying the need for an oral agent nurse program to assist in the management of all patients receiving oral therapies. The toxicities experienced by this patient population are no less intense than that of the intravenous therapies. Infusion nurses can assess and proactively address toxicities with each of their frequent visits. Oral agent patients are typically not seen as often. The oral oncolytic program allows specific nurses to become familiar with both the Oncolytics and their toxicity management and the individual patients. The nurses work with specialty pharmacies, patient assistance programs, and copay foundations to benefit the patients. Oral Agent Reviews are an appointment type developed to follow these patients when they are seeing oncology providers so they will also touch-base with an oral agent nurse. Extraordinary healers know how to pivot when changes occur to ensure patients’ needs are met.

Jill has had many interactions with providers. One Nurse Practitioner who I asked about Jill stated, “Jill helped guide me through my novice oncology practitioner years. She helped me navigate some of the decision-making that would later become second nature. I will never forget her wise words about oncology care, she gently reminded me that we don’t always cure the disease, be we give people more time.”

Jill is described by others as calm and an amazing listener, a wonderful leader who makes a personal connection with staff, patients and families. She understands the importance of balancing a work life with a home life.

For all the accomplishments and personal qualities Jill has, it is my pleasure to nominate her for the extraordinary healer award as she displays multiple aspects of one.

This piece reflects the author’s personal experience and perspective. For medical advice, please consult your health care provider.

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