"I can't stress enough how often I get questions about, 'Is this the paclitaxel doing this? Is this the docetaxel doing this?' And coming up with strategies to kind of help get our patients through with supportive care is important. It's a really big opportunity for pharmacists and our nurses to really provide it and help our patients get through and show the knowledge that we have and to help them," Dane Fritzsche, PharmD, BCOP, oncology informatics pharmacist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Cent...
Feb 16, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 299
"We are there for whatever issue, whether it's skin management or helping just cheer them on and manage small things or big things, you know, to get them through these treatments. And then as a patient completes the treatment, we continue the nurse education and [managing] the late toxicities," Michele "Michi" Gray, RN, radiation oncology care coordinator at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a discussio...
Feb 09, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 298
"What you teach patients about that the side effects may be somewhat different, because it's more of a regional treatment with less systemic toxicities, so it's teaching patients about the drugs, the side effects, and the actual procedure itself," Lisa Hartkopf-Smith, MS, RN, AOCN®, CHPN, advanced practice nurse at OhioHealth Center in Columbus and ProMedica Cancer Institute in Toledo, OH, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a discuss...
Feb 02, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 297
"The search for daunorubicin's sister really led to this discovery of doxorubicin, which is an analog with much greater activity. The discovery of doxorubicin can be coined kind of as, 'one of the best drugs born in Milan, Italy.' And after that, a few analogs were developed and tested, and two that we currently use today, are idarubicin and epirubicin," Puja Patel, PharmD, BCOP, clinical oncology pharmacist at the Delnor Hospital Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center in Geneva, IL, told Jaime Wei...
Jan 26, 2024•48 min•Season 1Ep. 296
"So much of this is just knowing what is their diagnosis, what medications are they on, what could be the root cause of this—where is their disease to begin with? There's really a lot of differential diagnosis and workup that has to be thought about, you know, when you're dealing with shortness of breath and pulmonary toxicities," Beth Sandy, MSN, CRNP, OCN®, thoracic medical oncology nurse practitioner at the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, told Jaime W...
Jan 19, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 295
"AYAs are underrepresented in clinical trials and unfortunately have one of the highest rates of being uninsured of any population. So, this is really concerning for a lot of reasons and really impacts our ability to make a difference for their treatment and outcomes," Stacy Whiteside, APRN, MS, CPNP-AC/PC, CPON®, nurse practitioner and fertility patient navigator in the Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Blood and Marrow Transplant at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, OH, told Ja...
Jan 12, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 294
"I can think of examples where I have two patients. They have the same diagnosis, but they have two different insurance companies, treatment plan's the same. 'Patient A' isn't going to get the optimal treatment plan because their insurance company won't approve it. 'Patient B' is going to get the Cadillac version of this treatment plan, and what am I supposed to do about it," Lucia D. Wocial, PhD, RN, FAAN, HEC-C, senior clinical ethicist in the John J. Lynch Center for Ethics at the MedStar Was...
Jan 05, 2024•51 min•Season 1Ep. 293
"With the turnover rates where they're at now, there's no way we can keep thinking how we did in the past—like, we have to. There's no doubt. We have to think differently," Deborah Cline, DNP, RN, associate professor in the Department of Graduate Studies with Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston in Texas, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a discussion about oncology nurse retention. You can earn free NCPD contact hours after ...
Dec 29, 2023•51 min•Season 1Ep. 292
"A sense of belonging is what tethers us to those who share in our spaces that work with us. Belonging is fueled by a social connection, which is one of our basic human needs. When you feel safe, supported, and valued, you bring your full, authentic self to work and you're fully engaged to work collaboratively to deliver the best patient care and quite frankly, be the best teammate ever," Kecia Boyd, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, AOCNS ®, BMTCN®, director of inclusion, diversity, and equity in the department...
Dec 22, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 291
"I think educating patients of what can happen and those are the symptoms you're really looking for to decrease this from getting to the severe level is like the sensory stuff. It's kind of your starting point and it progresses from there," Colleen Erb, MSN, CRNP, ACNP-BC, AOCNP®, hematology and oncology nurse practitioner at Jefferson Health Asplundh Cancer Pavilion in Willow Grove, PA, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a discussio...
Dec 15, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 290
"Our top priorities really revolve around ensuring that everybody, regardless of their income, regardless of their gender, regardless of their race, regardless of where in the country they live, has access to the very best care for them and their family. And then ensuring that nurses have all of the education and training and support that they need to provide that care," Jaimie Vickery, ONS's director of government affairs and advocacy, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of on...
Dec 08, 2023•24 min•Season 1Ep. 289
"I think that there are certain agents that are so foundational in some diseases that they will remain. Whether they remain first-line, maybe not; maybe they'll go to second line as we see things evolve with new agents. Some of these drugs have been very effective in the diseases in which they are used to treat patients. There's a long term place in therapy for these, and I think that will still be using these," Rowena Schwartz, PharmD, BCOP, FHOPA, known to many as "Moe," professor of pharmacy ...
Dec 01, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 288
"I think the key in effective communication is building trust, because without trust, patients are not likely to engage in their care as effectively, which can influence patient well-being and their overall health outcomes. Building trust is, I think, crucial," Deb Christensen, MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, AOCNS®, founder and chief patient officer at the Cancer Help Desk, a nonprofit that provides personalized cancer treatment resources, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology ...
Nov 24, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 287
"When I meet with patients, I try and remind them, 'Yes, you do have these side effects that can happen' and make sure that they're informed, but also try and reassure them that not everyone gets it as severe as maybe the movies and TV shows portray," Dane Fritzsche, PharmD, BCOP, informatics pharmacist from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center at the University of Washington Medicine in Seattle, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a dis...
Nov 17, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 1
"I think oftentimes people think this is just a radiology procedure that is rather benign. That's really the role of the oncology nurse, just to be [an educator], support, emotional support, and a coach," Lisa Parks, MS, APRN-CNP, ANP-BC, nurse practitioner in hepatobiliary surgery at The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center in Columbus, Ohio, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice...
Nov 10, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 285
"We incorporate nurses and clinicians and users for any tool from the very beginning. They say, 'You know, we need help with this.' And then we start ideation: We start understanding the problem, we meet with them, we try to see what is it that they're trying to do, is it feasible given the data we have? We go back, we do some research, feasibility study. We say we think this is something we can predict with decent performance. Now let's do it," Nasim Eftekhari, MS, executive director of applied...
Nov 03, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 284
"Having a nurse-driven protocol, at my facility we call them clinical practice guidelines, allows for that immediate action and swift intervention for the patient," Maura Price, MSN, RN, AOCNS®, oncology clinical nurse specialist at the Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute in Bethlehem, PA, told Jaime Weimer, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a discussion about what oncology nurses should know about desensitization strategies. You can earn free NCPD contact hours after listeni...
Oct 27, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 283
"We really need to do our best to reach people who don't have access to palliative care in their communities, and this is an innovative way for us to do that," Carey Ramirez, ANP-C, ACHPN, nurse practitioner and manager of advanced practice and supportive care medicine at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, CA, told Lenise Taylor, MN, RN, AOCNS®, BMTCN®, oncology clinical specialist at ONS, during a discussion about how telehealth is overcoming barriers and disparities that previ...
Oct 20, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 282
"I think the horizon, the trends that we are seeing today, are indicating that this technology is just going to explode and be integrated into everything we do in nursing or beyond. Many of the things with nursing are going to change significantly for us, which has already started," Maxim Topaz, PhD, MA, RN, FAAN, Elizabeth Standish Gill Associate Professor of Nursing at the School of Nursing and The Data Science Institute at Columbia University in New York, NY, and senior scientist at VNS Healt...
Oct 13, 2023•45 min•Season 1Ep. 281
"As nurses and healthcare providers, we need to be up to date with the most current evidence-based practices. To achieve and maintain this, we must institute a learning culture. It is critical to promote a learning culture and healthcare institution to keep both patients and nurses safe," Klara Culmone, MSN, RN, OCN®, assistant nurse manager at the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health in New York, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing...
Oct 06, 2023•20 min•Season 1Ep. 280
"I think the most amazing thing we see is the softening of the skin, which can occur during the first two weeks of the conditioning regimen. The nurses on the floor see it, and I think it's just a tremendous gratification for them to see the results of something right before your eyes," Tanya Helms, PA-C, from the division of hematological malignancies and cellular therapy at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC, told Lenise Taylor, MN, RN, AOCNS®, BMTCN®, oncology clinical specialist at...
Sep 29, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 279
"I think that as oncology nurses, we need to keep ourselves really educated and up to date with these new therapies, because I honestly feel like we still haven't really seen the long-term effects of this treatment," ONS member Lisa Parks, MS, APRN-CNP, ANP-BC, nurse practitioner in hepatobiliary surgery at The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center in Columbus, told Lenise Taylor, MN, RN, AOCNS®, BMTCN®, oncology clinical spe...
Sep 22, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 278
"One of the things about futility is many people will say, 'Oh this is futile care,' when what they really mean is, 'Who in their right mind would want this?' or 'I would never ever want this,' and that's different. That's not futile care. That's potentially inappropriate care. And sometimes that's the big step for folks," Lucia D. Wocial, PhD, RN, FAAN, HEC-C, senior clinical ethicist in the John J. Lynch Center for Ethics at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC, told Jaime ...
Sep 15, 2023•51 min•Season 1Ep. 277
"Reassuring doesn't always mean providing solutions. Sometimes, it's providing support. There are some key tips that can be helpful for supporting patients when they're ready, when they're asking, 'What about my kids?' Like, what are the things when you leave this hospital that your kids are going to see, hear, or notice? That's a great place to start," Kelsey Mora, certified child life specialist, licensed clinical professional counselor, and chief clinical officer at Pickles Group, a national ...
Sep 08, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 276
"It's really important to look at where your target is and what the toxicities are associated with hitting that target. Make sure you include that thinking when you're talking about bispecifics," ONS member Rowena (Moe) Schwartz, PharmD, BCOP, professor of pharmacy practice at the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a discussion about the use of bispecific mo...
Sep 01, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 275
"You don't have to have any musical background to benefit from musical therapy," ONS member Susan Yaguda, MSN, RN, manager of integrative oncology and survivorship in the Department of Supportive Oncology at the Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a discussion about how music therapists and oncology nurses collaborate to offer music therapy's benefits to patients with cancer. You c...
Aug 25, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 274
"It's really an exciting time to be in the field of oncology because we can have these specific drugs that target these specific variants rather than, back in the day, when we had to use kind of generic cancer therapies that weren't specific for an individual's cancer," ONS member Suzanne Walker, PhD, CRNP, AOCN®, senior advanced practice provider and coordinator for thoracic malignancies at the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA, told Jaime Weimer, MS...
Aug 18, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 273
"Like all emergencies, they're unpredictable. I have seen them at the very beginning and sometimes, unfortunately, that can be the patient's first sign or symptom that they have cancer. It can be something like they've lost the ability to walk, or their breathing gets difficult. I've also seen it during the middle of their care continuum where we finish a round of radiation and they develop metastatic disease so the next time you see then for radiation can be for a cord compression. I've also se...
Aug 11, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 272
"These patients have very intense regimens of chemotherapy. They're tired a lot of the time. Between their oral chemotherapy, their IV chemotherapy, their hospitalizations, and then coming in. Everything takes longer than we would like it to for these patients. They are long days to come in for a procedure," ONS member Rebekah Rabinowitz, RN, BSN, OCN®, neuro-oncology nurse at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, GA, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, oncology clinical specialist at ...
Aug 04, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 271
What is it like to guide a professional association that serves more than 100,000 oncology nurses? ONS Chief Executive Officer Brenda Nevidjon, MSN, RN, FAAN, and 2023–2026 Directors-at-Large Susan Brown, PhD, MSN, CENP, Jessica MacIntyre, DNP, MBA, APRN, AOCNP®, and Trey Woods, RN, MSN, NP-C, discuss the ONS Leadership Development Committee's appointment process for the ONS Board of Directors, reflect on their experience in ONS, and elaborate on the work they do in their leadership positions. Y...
Jul 28, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 270
