Endocrine Abstracts

The management of patient care is to ensure that individuals are provided with appropriate support and representation during their cancer journey, from the point of diagnosis, throughout treatment and into survivorship. The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role has become pivotal in many specialities, providing aspects of care such as meeting information needs, holistic nurse led follow up, managing care and providing psychological and social interventions, including referral to others, often through the role of keyworker. The use of Holistic needs assessment (HNA) assists the CNS to achieve good survivorship care. It is a process of gathering and discussing information with the patient and /or carer / supporter in order to develop an understanding of what the person living with and beyond cancer knows, understands and needs. Holistic assessment is focused on the whole person; their entire well-being is discussed – physical, emotional, spiritual, mental, social, and environmental” . By identifying these needs, improvements in care can be made in a responsive manner. HNA’s have been used by the Newcastle Thyroid CNS nurse for well over 10 years now which has enabled clear communication between the CNS and patient group. It has allowed development of services including HNA Nurse led telephone clinic, Moving on groups and Survivorship Days.