I have a job that doesn’t feel like a job at all . . . but don’t tell my boss. I consult members of the Midwest Cancer Alliance while they establish and enhance patient navigation systems. A large part of the role involves coaching and connecting clinicians with resources.
Networking with colleagues across the country through the ONS Nurse Navigator Special Interest Group (SIG) has been a huge asset while ‘bringing it home’ to Kansas. In my consulting work and as member of the SIG, I receive many emails from nurse navigators across the region and country. The top resource connections requested? I call them "The Big 3": tools, training, and tracking.
Here are my favorite go-to resources.
Tools
Toolkits, sample forms, best practice examples, and job descriptions – woo hoo!
- Association of Community Cancer Centers: Cancer Care Patient Navigation
- Cancer Care Coordination with Nurse Navigators : Sg2
- Cancer Patient Navigation Toolkit – Kansas Cancer Partnership
Training
Educational links and training programs
- C-Change Cancer Patient Navigation
- Harold P. Freeman Patient Navigation Institute
- Colorado Patient Navigator Training
- Breast Patient Navigator Certification Program (National Consortium of Breast Centers)
- Training for Cancer Care Nurse Navigators and Cancer Services Navigators – Northwest Georgia Regional Cancer Coalition and Blue Ridge AHEC
- EduCare: Breast Health Navigation
- The George Washington University Center for the Advancement of Cancer Survivorship, Navigation, and Policy
Tracking
The all-important outcomes
- National Patient Navigation Leadership Summit – Cancer Special Supplement
And as an added bonus, here are my favs for networking. Like them on Facebook. Follow them on Twitter. Post to their discussion boards. Contact their newsletter editors and submit articles. Follow their blogs.
- ONS Nurse Navigator SIG – Be sure to check out articles and member spotlights in the Virtual Community.
- Academy of Oncology Nurse Navigators – I love the expert blogs.
- Pennsylvania Patient Navigator Network – This group loves collaboration! I want to be them when I grow up. They have an excellent Facebook resource as well.
So what about it? Have you found a great resource you would like to share with other nurse navigators? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!