Olivia West on Aggressive Vaso-occlusive Pain Management in an Inpatient Hematology Unit

Olivia West, MSN, RN, AG-ACNP-BC, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, discusses an intervention at her institution which helped patients with sickle cell disease better manage their vaso-occlusive pain. West recently presented on the topic during the 47th Annual Oncology Nursing Society Congress.

In an interview with Oncology Nursing News®, West notes that patient with sickle cell disease are a vulnerable population whose care is oftentimes overlooked. However, a novel intervention at her institution found that specialty hematology nurse practitioners could help improve the quality of care and reduce the hospitalization times for these patients, which dramatically improved hospital cost savings.