Patricia Jakel, MN, RN, AOCN

On this episode of Onc Nurse On Call, Kristin Daly, MSN, ANP-BC, AOCNP, discusses practical cancer care strategies in the age of immunotherapy.

Leaders in oncology nursing and advanced practice spotlight the essential role of advanced practice providers in oncology.

Hazards of the LA wildfires necessitate awareness that first responders and those central to the fires may be at risk for developing cancer.

Although excitement surrounds the constantly changing landscape of cancer care, we have much to learn to keep our practices current.

Delivering hazardous drugs safely is complex but essential for the welfare of our health care workers and our patients.

Quanna Batiste-Brown, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, and Patricia Jakel, RN, MN, AOCN, discuss the reality of racism in nursing.

As we continue to slowly recover from the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are facing a new problem: chemotherapy shortages.

Patricia Jakel, RN, MN, AOCN, underscores some of the challenges nurses face when promoting adherence to oral medications.

Precision medicine is a term that has been in our oncology language for years, but changes are occurring quickly. As oncology nurses, we need to learn about genomics and biomarkers and what precision medicine means for patients’ outcomes.

The new model of care will seek to increase value-based care for patients receiving chemotherapy.

In 17 years, the mortality rate for Black women with breast cancer has not changed.

Patricia Jakel, RN, MN, AOCN, discusses burnout and compassion fatigue in acute oncology care.

Oncology nurses must assess the total pain of their patients by considering the physical, psychological, social, emotional, and spiritual elements.

Patricia Jakel, MN, RN, AOCN, reflects on the values of nursing Hackathons and encourages Hackathon participation from oncology nurses.

With estimates pointing to 26.1 million cancer survivors by 2040, the care of these individuals will need to be more than a care plan in their electronic medical record.

Psychological support services for patients and colleagues are critically needed and should be a vital component in postpandemic planning. 

Digital health should be of special interest to oncology nurses, as monitoring and interventions for symptoms are the pillar of cancer care.

When administering oral therapies for HER2+ breast cancer, discuss adverse events and medication adherence.

To understand the impact of the pandemic, I asked clinical nurses to describe the 2020 The Year of the Nurse and Midwife in a few words. Everyone was eager to give a statement and many, many were very prideful for the nursing care done in 2020.

Oncology nurses need to keep an eye out for diarrhea in their patients on CDK4/6 inhibitors.

If nurses fail to address these issues or nurses’ leaders fail to coach and support, we may witness a mass exodus from nursing.

I love introducing new nurses to the joy of oncology nursing. The process is gratifying, stressful, and brings much happiness and meaning to my work. However, this year is difficult for everyone including the new nurses, preceptors, and educators.

Cancer will not wait for the COVID-19 epidemic to end.

The pandemic model of patient care is necessary, but exhausting, which leads nurses to moral distress.

There is far less patient education for oral agents, such as CDK4/6 inhibitors for breast cancer, as there is for chemotherapy. This is a major issue, explained Patricia Jakel, MN, RN, AOCN, advanced practice nurse at UCLA's solid tumor program and co-editor in chief of Oncology Nursing News.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shocked the US healthcare system, highlighting our flaws while showing our deep commitment to quality patient care. We in healthcare cannot “pause,” but I am hoping millions of people around the world will do so and realign their convictions from the lessons learned.

All healthcare providers are providing care to the best of their ability, but strangely it does not seem like enough.

“As the world faces growing healthcare shortages, there are ambitious efforts being made to reach a goal of universal health coverage around the world by 2030. Nurses need to be on the front line.” — Patricia Jakel, MN, RN, AOCN

Currently, we are facing unprecedented challenges in nursing and with our collective experiences and expertise.