Nurses Make a Huge Impact on Cancer Care, Says Former NHL Referee

Oncology nurses, who are often the first people that patients with cancer see when they come in for treatment, can have a huge impact on the outlook that patients have, according to Kerry Fraser, a former National Hockey League (NHL) referee who was diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia about 2 years ago.

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It's really important for the oncology nurses to learn and know, and they already know it. But from a patient's perspective, that very first visit to the cancer clinic, I saw people in the waiting room with no hair, kerchiefs, bandanas gone, really struggling. And it can cause a new patient to feel a lack of hope and to sort of envision, "Is that where I'm headed?"

Out bounced a bubbly oncology nurse. "Kerry Fraser?" [she said] "Hey! How are you doing today? And Mrs. Fraser?" And she was so upbeat. It just lifted everything up internally. I bounced along with her. I took on her attitude in that one moment where I left all of the other patients sitting in chairs, and some in wheelchairs.

It was an important thing. The first person that I was in contact with for treatment or follow-up diagnosis was this bubbly, happy, compassionate, friendly nurse.

Keep up the good work, ladies and gentlemen, because it's really important from a patient perspective what you provide.