Kristin McDade, R.N., with patient Dean Mellema at the VICC.
Photo by Susan Urmy
As the countdown to the Magnet Recognition site visit approaches, the Reporter's Kathy Rivers is asking Vanderbilt University Medical Center nurses to answer key questions in their own words.
Question: How does VUMC support nurses’ roles as teachers?
Answer: The support for nurses as teachers is huge at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. Nurses ensure that the patients are taught about their diagnosis, treatment options, tips on coping with side effects and how to get in touch with us if those tips aren't working. There is a lot for patients to learn. We practice primary nursing so we can follow our patients and see when they are overwhelmed. Sometimes it's not just about teaching them how to deal with side effects, but how to deal with their emotions, their families and their lives in general.
— Kristin McDade, R.N., Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center