1. My Life as a Nurse Kathleen Gamblin, RN, BSN, OCN
Coordinator, Oncology Patient Navigation Program
Northside Hospital Cancer Institute, Atlanta, Georgia

2. My Life as a Nurse: The Beginning
Planning is important. Never underestimate how important this step is. Do not rely on your instincts. Use your data
The answer to this question tells you how widespread cancer is in your community and who are the people that you need to reach. You want to look at statistics for your area, cancer cases and deaths, how these numbers have changed over time. It is helpful if they are broken down by age, sex, race, ethnicity . You can then use this information to focus your outreach on the types of cancer that affect your community the most. Our health system area is large and in our urban area we focus heavily on prostrate screening, while in one of more rural areas we focus more on lung cancer. Some of the following resources are helpful in in finding cancer data for your area:
Local Cancer Control Plan
United States Cancer Statistics
State Cancer Profiles
State Cancer Facts
State Cancer Registry
State and Local Health Departments
Local Chapters of National Cancer Organizations (ACS)
What Cancer Prevention Resources Are Available
Know what Medical, Educational and Social Service Programs exist in your community
Refer people to services. They are more likely to change their behavior if they know how to find the help that they need
Learn about other outreach efforts going on the community. Look for ways to partner with other organizations. See how you can work together.
Get to know leaders within the cancer prevention community to get the word out
To find out more about cancer prevention services in your area, stay up to date on what local organizations are doing, social media is very helpful in this respect.
Find out what low cost CDC funded screening services are available in your community (National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program helps woman get screenedin all 50 States, District of Columbia, 5 territiories and 12 tribal communities. Colorectal Cancer Control Program helps men and women aged get screened for colorectal cancer in 25 states and 4 tribal communities.
What can people do to prevent cancer?
- Helps you udnerstatnd what people in our community can do to proctect themselves from cancer. It asks you t

3. My Life as a Nurse: Nursing School
Lehigh Community College
Two Year Nursing Degree
Two Years for Pre-Requisites
Acceptance into Program
Two Years for Nursing Courses
Degree R.N.
Nurse in Hospital, Dr.’s Office
Charge Nurse
Messiah College
Four Year Nursing Degree
One and Half Year Prerequisites
Two and Half Years Nursing Classes
Degree RN, BSN
Nurse Manager
Nurse Educator
I was really raring to go out and do what I could," he recalls, "but this was somewhat of a shock to me -- having been trained to do all this cancer work, and then I'm facing late-stage cancer that is too late for me to be effective technically.”-Harold Freeman

4. My Life as a Nurse: Nursing School
Classes
Nursing
3 Hour Classes 2X Weekly
3 Hour Lab 1X Weekly
1-2 Days of Clinical Weekly
Important Subjects from Middle and High School
I was really raring to go out and do what I could," he recalls, "but this was somewhat of a shock to me -- having been trained to do all this cancer work, and then I'm facing late-stage cancer that is too late for me to be effective technically.”-Harold Freeman

5. My Life as a Nurse: First Job
Gulf Coast Hospital
Medical Floor
Step-down ICU
Surgery/Oncology Unit
What Technical Skills Did I Learn
Breath Sounds with Stethoscope
IV Insertion
NG Tube Insertion
What Other Skills Did I Learn
How to Listen
How to Ask Open Ended Questions
How To Sit With Someone Who is Dying
I was really raring to go out and do what I could," he recalls, "but this was somewhat of a shock to me -- having been trained to do all this cancer work, and then I'm facing late-stage cancer that is too late for me to be effective technically.”-Harold Freeman

6. My Life as a Nurse: Military
Commissioned Officer Training
Montgomery, Alabama
4 Week Course
Travis Air Force Base, California
Air Mobility Command
Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico
Air Force Material Command
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
Air Material Command
I was really raring to go out and do what I could," he recalls, "but this was somewhat of a shock to me -- having been trained to do all this cancer work, and then I'm facing late-stage cancer that is too late for me to be effective technically.”-Harold Freeman

7. My Life as a Nurse: Oncology
Oncology is Study of Cancer
Normal Cell has Growth, Division and Death
Cancer Cell has Growth and Division, 0 Death
Cancer is Treated By:
Surgery
Radiation
Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy
I was really raring to go out and do what I could," he recalls, "but this was somewhat of a shock to me -- having been trained to do all this cancer work, and then I'm facing late-stage cancer that is too late for me to be effective technically.”-Harold Freeman

8. My Life as a Nurse: Oncology
Oncology Nurses Work in Many Settings
Hospital Unit
Infusion Center
Radiation Center
Physician Offices
Outpatient Setting
Oncology Nurse Navigation
Cancer Is a Maze
Oncology Nurse Navigator Navigates Patients and Families Through Maze
Education
Barriers to Care
Listening Ear
I was really raring to go out and do what I could," he recalls, "but this was somewhat of a shock to me -- having been trained to do all this cancer work, and then I'm facing late-stage cancer that is too late for me to be effective technically.”-Harold Freeman

9. My Life as a Nurse: Manager, Educator Author and Consultant
Manage Navigation Program at Northside Hospital Cancer Institute
14 Oncology Nurse Navigators
13 Cancer Care Liaison
Responsible for Strategic Planning and Operations
Educator/Speaker
Teach Other Nurses How to be Oncology Nurse Navigators
Speak at National Conventions
Author/Editor
Oncology Nurse Navigation: Delivering Patient Centered
Care Across the Continuum
Case Scenarios in Oncology Nurse Navigation
Consultant
Develop Navigation Programs for Other Hospitals
I was really raring to go out and do what I could," he recalls, "but this was somewhat of a shock to me -- having been trained to do all this cancer work, and then I'm facing late-stage cancer that is too late for me to be effective technically.”-Harold Freeman

10. “Being a nurse isn’t about grades, it’s about being who we are
“Being a nurse isn’t about grades, it’s about being who we are. No book can teach you how to cry with a patient. No class can teach you how to tell their family that their parents have died or are dying. No professor can teach you how to find dignity in giving someone a bed bath. A nurse is not about the pills or the charting. It’s about being able to love people when they are at their weakest moments.”
Planning is important. Never underestimate how important this step is. Do not rely on your instincts. Use your data
The answer to this question tells you how widespread cancer is in your community and who are the people that you need to reach. You want to look at statistics for your area, cancer cases and deaths, how these numbers have changed over time. It is helpful if they are broken down by age, sex, race, ethnicity . You can then use this information to focus your outreach on the types of cancer that affect your community the most. Our health system area is large and in our urban area we focus heavily on prostrate screening, while in one of more rural areas we focus more on lung cancer. Some of the following resources are helpful in in finding cancer data for your area:
Local Cancer Control Plan
United States Cancer Statistics
State Cancer Profiles
State Cancer Facts
State Cancer Registry
State and Local Health Departments
Local Chapters of National Cancer Organizations (ACS)
What Cancer Prevention Resources Are Available
Know what Medical, Educational and Social Service Programs exist in your community
Refer people to services. They are more likely to change their behavior if they know how to find the help that they need
Learn about other outreach efforts going on the community. Look for ways to partner with other organizations. See how you can work together.
Get to know leaders within the cancer prevention community to get the word out
To find out more about cancer prevention services in your area, stay up to date on what local organizations are doing, social media is very helpful in this respect.
Find out what low cost CDC funded screening services are available in your community (National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program helps woman get screenedin all 50 States, District of Columbia, 5 territiories and 12 tribal communities. Colorectal Cancer Control Program helps men and women aged get screened for colorectal cancer in 25 states and 4 tribal communities.
What can people do to prevent cancer?
- Helps you udnerstatnd what people in our community can do to proctect themselves from cancer. It asks you t

11. People will forget what you said, they will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel!
Maya Angelou
Planning is important. Never underestimate how important this step is. Do not rely on your instincts. Use your data
The answer to this question tells you how widespread cancer is in your community and who are the people that you need to reach. You want to look at statistics for your area, cancer cases and deaths, how these numbers have changed over time. It is helpful if they are broken down by age, sex, race, ethnicity . You can then use this information to focus your outreach on the types of cancer that affect your community the most. Our health system area is large and in our urban area we focus heavily on prostrate screening, while in one of more rural areas we focus more on lung cancer. Some of the following resources are helpful in in finding cancer data for your area:
Local Cancer Control Plan
United States Cancer Statistics
State Cancer Profiles
State Cancer Facts
State Cancer Registry
State and Local Health Departments
Local Chapters of National Cancer Organizations (ACS)
What Cancer Prevention Resources Are Available
Know what Medical, Educational and Social Service Programs exist in your community
Refer people to services. They are more likely to change their behavior if they know how to find the help that they need
Learn about other outreach efforts going on the community. Look for ways to partner with other organizations. See how you can work together.
Get to know leaders within the cancer prevention community to get the word out
To find out more about cancer prevention services in your area, stay up to date on what local organizations are doing, social media is very helpful in this respect.
Find out what low cost CDC funded screening services are available in your community (National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program helps woman get screenedin all 50 States, District of Columbia, 5 territiories and 12 tribal communities. Colorectal Cancer Control Program helps men and women aged get screened for colorectal cancer in 25 states and 4 tribal communities.
What can people do to prevent cancer?
- Helps you udnerstatnd what people in our community can do to proctect themselves from cancer. It asks you t