The Nurse Every Patient Needs to Get Through the Journey

By Dr. Timur Mitin

Christine Hall, RN, B.S.N., joined our clinic without radiation oncology experience but with years of infusion and palliative care experience and immeasurable love for patients with cancer. She joined me for every new patient consultation, learned together with patients, wrote down every piece of advice I mentioned and became not just a nurse but a true patient advocate.

She would immediately schedule tests, call around town to find out where the scans could be done as soon as possible, contact clinics to request an expedited intake and keep in touch with every patient with frequent phone calls — sometimes to pass along information and sometimes to simply check on them. Over these years, only a handful of tests or studies were not done on time or earlier — and in most cases because of logistical or other reasons beyond her control.

I have recently left the clinic and moved to another practice. And I now realize how important she is to patients with cancer, how much I miss her walking with me to each patient consultation and then walking with these patients through their oncology care journey, one of the most difficult journeys in life.

Often patients read online profiles of medical providers to decide where to receive care. In reality, having a nurse like Christine is so much more important. If only patients knew how to select clinics basedon this information.

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