What is a nurse?
A nurse is a registered and specially trained member of your health-care team who will help co-ordinate your health care both in the hospital and at home.
What do nurses do?
Over the course of your treatment, you’ll come in contact with nurses in various situations. In fact, they are probably the health-care professional you’ll spend the most time with! Nurses have a lot of different roles in the health-care system. They will be the ones to give you any medications, including chemotherapy, while you’re in hospital. They will help you manage your symptoms and the side effects of treatment. They may even come to your home to help you with your care.
They will monitor you closely if you’re staying in the hospital and make sure you’re doing OK. They will also assess you at all your follow-up appointments and check-ups. They will work with you and the rest of your health-care team to support you all the way through your treatment and they will help you with any treatment decisions that you and your family need to make.
Nurses are really knowledgeable, caring, compassionate and fun people! You can ask your nurses any questions about your cancer and you can talk to your nurses about any of your concerns, fears, or just everyday life stuff.
Some hospitals or communities have special nurses called liaisons who help patients and families understand the health-care system and help them find the services they need. These nurses can help you find the support you need at home, in the hospital and in the community.
