Saint Joseph Hospital Oncology Unit Nurse: A Case Study

I held her hand as she mumbled the discomfort, her voice barely a whisper. The muscles in her neck straining further with each muttered word. Blemishes marred her arms and neck. Lying there with her eyes closed, torpid and blanched of all color, she seemed well beyond the reach of my limited abilities. Her name was Jones and she was diagnosed with cancer. With a basket full of knitted hats within sight, I picked out the brightest and coziest one and helped her into it. A smile appeared on her face even as she sat through the burning sensation of the medication coursing through her veins. It was the sight of patients like Jones that rendered me speechless. These were real people and this was their plight. As a Patient Services Representative for the American Cancer Society, I interacted with newly diagnosed and long-term patients at the Saint Joseph Hospital Oncology Center. I worked to provide them with transportation services, financial resources, support groups and health information. While I waited for patients to arrive for their treatment, I conversed with the Oncology Unit nurse, Linda. Upon …show more content…
Patients described the sorrow brought upon them due to the cancer, and yet in the same conversation they recounted their capacity for growth and happiness. Apart from the physiological struggles, the patients were suffering from emotional isolation. A disease not only carries health implications for the patient, but often causes estrangement from their families and friends. I sympathized with them as they struggled with the nausea and fatigue that came with the treatment, but most importantly, I recognized their immeasurable desire to persevere. I found myself staying much later than my scheduled shifts, but always leaving with a different perception and awareness of the patients’ determination to