Oncology Navigation: Closing Gaps in Survivorship With Emily Beard

On the latest episode of the Onc Nurse on Call podcast, hosts Patricia Jakel, MN, RN, AOCN, and Stephanie Desrosiers, DNP, MSN, RN, AOCNS, BMTCN, sat down with Emily M. Beard, BSN, RN, OCN, CBCN, BHCN, to explore the evolution and profound impact of oncology nurse navigation. Beard, who currently serves as an oncology survivorship navigator at the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, shared her journey from a community hospital to national advocacy, emphasizing that navigation is, at its heart, about being a "professional problem solver."

The personal origins of advocacy

Beard’s path into navigation was deeply personal, sparked by her mother’s cancer diagnosis in 2005. Despite having resources and health insurance, her mother faced "analysis paralysis" when confronted with complex medical decisions.

This experience illuminated the significant barriers to care that patients face, leading Beard to become a nurse navigator at a community hospital in 2007.

Under the mentorship of the Reverend Betty Castellani, Beard learned that navigation is defined by relationships and the ability to meet a patient exactly where they are. Although clinical knowledge is essential, Beard noted that a "passion for connecting with people" is what truly drives successful patient advocacy.

Identifying critical gaps in the patient journey

During the conversation, Beard identified several key "gaps" where navigators provide essential support. She compared a new cancer diagnosis to being "dropped in a foreign country," where patients must navigate a new language and a sea of strangers while in a state of shock.

Beyond the initial diagnosis, Beard highlighted other critical transition points, as follows:

• Treatment transitions: Moving between modalities, such as surgery to radiation, where the rationale can become blurred for the patient.
• The "what now" phase: The period following active treatment, often termed survivorship, where fear and overwhelm can set in as the "safety net" of frequent clinical visits is removed.
• Marginalized populations: Beard emphasized the need for culturally relevant resources for young women (younger than 40), the LGBTQ+ community, and Black and Latino women, who often face higher disparities and worse outcomes.

A case study in nurse intuition

One of the most poignant moments of the episode was Beard's recollection of a young patient in her 30s who was planning a wedding. When the patient failed to show up for a chemotherapy teaching appointment, Beard used her nursing intuition to reach out directly. The patient revealed she was terrified of being a "bald bride" and feared her fiancé "didn't sign up for this.”

By taking the time to "dig a little deeper"—a luxury often unavailable to clinical providers on tight schedules—Beard was able to coordinate scalp cooling and fertility preservation. This intervention not only allowed the patient to proceed with lifesaving treatment but also addressed her long-term quality of life and family-building goals.

Advocacy on a national scale

Beard’s work extends into national advocacy through organizations such as the Young Survival Coalition (YSC) and Living Beyond Breast Cancer. She recently participated in the YSC Research Think Tank 2.0, where she was the sole oncology nurse among 30 health care professionals tasked with setting a 10-year research agenda. Her role was to "bring the voices of so many patients forward," focusing on equity, sexual adverse effects, and fertility.

Sustaining the navigator: The "oxygen mask"

The emotional labor of oncology nursing requires intentional self-care. Beard described the importance of the "oxygen mask"—prioritizing rest, hydration, and movement. For her, this includes a weekly hip-hop dance class, which she describes as a vital outlet to "dance it out" and maintain levity.

Beard recently transitioned into a new role at Emory, helping develop a survivorship navigation program that will eventually span across all cancer disease sites. She expressed excitement about getting out of her "comfort zone" in breast and gynecological cancers to learn the unique needs of survivors across the entire oncological spectrum.

As the podcast concluded, Jakel and Desrosiers noted that Beard’s career exemplifies the privilege of journeying with patients from diagnosis through the milestones of survivorship.

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