Patient Education
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At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), our patients work with unique allies in their battle against cancer: education specialists. These specially trained nurses coach cancer patients, helping them to learn everything they can about their disease and cancer treatment options. We believe that the more informed you are about your cancer and treatment plan options, the more you are able to understand those options and choose what is best for you.
Knowledge in Your Hands
Education specialist Barbara Hutton
teaches a class.
Education specialists at CTCA at Southwestern Regional Medical Center meet with you face-to-face to make sure you understand the specific chemotherapy or other cancer treatment regimens your oncologist may prescribe. They take time to address your concerns, explain what a treatment should do and offer suggestions on what you can do to manage potential side effects.
Most importantly, our education specialists explain details in terms you can understand. They offer helpful handouts that summarize everything they cover. Upon request, the Education Department can also provide information on most chronic diseases.
Our education specialists meet with you and your caregiver in a quiet environment. This helps you to concentrate on all of the information and allows for privacy, so that you feel comfortable asking questions. Typically, education specialists spend a half-hour to an hour with each patient.
Because our education specialists meet with you prior to the treatment you receive, you are able to focus on the information and process it, have your questions answered beforehand and know whether there’s anything you can do to help lessen the side effects of the treatment, or at the very least, what to do if they arise.
In some cases, doctors may give patients multiple options for cancer treatment. Education specialists spend time reviewing each option with those patients, helping to make sure they understand them. The Education Department also ensures that patients have necessary time to review and discuss the possible treatments with their caregivers and families.
Above and Beyond
At Southwestern Regional Medical Center, patients receive far more than information on chemotherapy treatments. You can also learn about dealing with diabetes and cancer, biotherapy, port placement and management, photodynamic therapy and so forth.
If needed, you are also able to meet with a certified wound, ostomy and continence nurse (CWOCN). Our CWOCN is especially attentive to patients’ concerns and needs. She often teaches patients about wound, ostomy, PEG tube feedings and self-administration of insulin.
Our education specialists are more than happy to consult with you before and after treatments or procedures. In fact, patients are encouraged to call and ask questions after they have received treatment and returned to their home.
A Class Act
In addition to meeting with patients, the Education Department holds classes for patients and their caregivers.
Classes the department offers include Understanding Cancer, Breast Cancer Basics, Improving the Chemotherapy Experience, All About Your Blood, Cancer and Genes and What You Need to Know about Radiation. Classes are subject to change, depending on patient requests.