News
Surge in demand for specialist cancer nurses at Hollywood Private Hospital
Mar 01, 2022
The role of specialist nurses in supporting cancer patients is becoming increasingly important, with a surge in demand for their services at Hollywood Private Hospital.
Specialist nurses ensure continuity of care for cancer patients, providing support throughout their cancer journey.
The role of specialist nurses is to provide accurate information and coordinate all aspects of care from cancer diagnosis, during treatment and post-treatment.
Director of Clinical Services Karen Gullick said the hospital is investing heavily in specialist nurses because of their significant role supporting cancer patients.
“Specialist nurses are valued by cancer patients because they become a trusted main point of contact,” Ms Gullick said.
“Specialist cancer nurses facilitate regular and appropriate communication between various healthcare providers, sometimes across different settings.
“They also promote care that is provided in a coherent, logical and timely manner, with consideration for the patient’s preferences.”
Ms Gullick said the team of specialist cancer nurses at Hollywood expanded last year and there were plans to continue recruiting to meet expected demand.
Sorrento resident John Williams said the Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses service at Hollywood provided him with time to digest the implications of his diagnosis and to prepare.
“Being able to talk to someone made a big difference,” Mr Williams said.
“The prostate cancer nurse helped me manage how I was going to communicate my diagnosis to my family and kids.”
Cancer Care Navigators
Cancer Care Navigators are specialist nurses who have extensive experience in cancer care and can guide patients and carers through this sometimes complex and challenging path. They provide information, education and emotional support for patients and family members during and after treatment.
McGrath Breast Care Nurses
McGrath Breast Care Nurses provide important psychological, physical and emotional support to families experiencing breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Western Australian women.1 With one in seven women in Australia diagnosed before the age of 852, there is an increasing need for specialist McGrath Breast Care Nurses to support people impacted by the disease.
Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses
The Prostate Cancer Specialist Nursing Service plays a vital role by providing reliable information about the diagnosis and treatment pathways and supportive care for men and their families.
From the time of diagnosis, throughout treatment and afterwards, Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses provide information, support and coordination of care specific to individual needs.
Due to increased demand, there are now three Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses at Hollywood.
1 Government of Western Australia Department of Health, 2020, Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Survival in Western Australia, 2017, accessed 1 August 2021 ww2.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/Files/Corporate/general-documents/WA-Cancer-Registry/Recent-reports/Incidence-Mortality-and-Survival-2017.pdf
2 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2021. Cancer data in Australia. Cat. no. CAN 122. Canberra: AIHW. Accessed June 2021; www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer/cancer-data-in-australia
Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses Lucy Lyons, Lisa Ferri and Francesca Rogers with former Hollywood Private Hospital patient John Williams.