Frankfort Regional Medical Center

College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer. Both Dr. Owens and Susan Reffett, RN, BSN, CNOR, CPN, Oncology Nurse Navigator at Frankfort Regional, are leading the accreditation efforts. “Reffett not only guides patients through their cancer journeys as our nurse navigator, she ensures everyone involved in cancer care adheres to the guidelines and criteria we must follow to receive accreditation,” says Steven Vallance, MD, PhD, FACS, board-certified general, thoracic and vascular surgeon at Frankfort Regional. “The accreditation process is long and difficult, and it should be; if we want to provide specialized care to patients, we must demonstrate we have the expertise. Without Reffett, I don’t think we could.” An Invaluable Source of Support Reffett defines her role as oncology nurse navigator simply: “to be a resource for patients” with all types of cancer. The Kentucky native returned to Frankfort Regional—where she had worked years before—in 2011 to develop the oncology nurse navigation program. Today, she helps patients and their loved ones in a myriad of ways, from educating patients about their diagnoses and referring them for ancillary services to helping individuals schedule appointments for tests and directing them to community resources that can remove barriers to treatment. The oncology nurse navigator typically meets with patients for the first time at the time of diagnosis or soon afterward. During the initial visit with a patient, Reffett learns all she can about the individual, including whether he or she possesses other health conditions and what kind of support he or she will receive from family members. Reffett educates the patient about symptom management, nutrition and other topics and determines which ancillary services—such as nutrition counseling—might benefit the individual. The oncology nurse navigator follows up with patients every two weeks, but patients such as Sharon Givens know Reffett is just a phone call away whenever they need her. Sharon was diagnosed with cancer in her left breast in May 2012. The 52-year-old mother and grandmother from Frankfort had surgery at Frankfort Regional three days after diagnosis to remove a breast tumor. Within 24 hours, Reffett called Sharon to introduce herself and discuss Sharon’s upcoming courses of chemotherapy—which she began in June—and radiation therapy. Sharon speaks with, or sees, Reffett at least four times per week as she continues her cancer journey. So far, Reffett has, among other things, arranged for Sharon to see a nutritionist at Frankfort Regional, connected her with an organization that offers gas cards to cancer patients, and facilitated a meeting with a financial counselor at the hospital. The oncology nurse navigator’s work has allowed Sharon to focus on healing. “I think my family worries about me more than I do, but I always tell them, ‘Reffett has it covered,’” says Sharon. “She will find an answer to any question I have. I know she works with many patients, but she makes me feel like I’m the only one.” Requests or referrals can be made by patients, family members, friends or healthcare providers. For more information, call 502-226-7694. “Nurse navigation is the gateway to cancer care services at Frankfort Regional Medical Center. With the oncology nurse navigator, patients always know they have someone to turn to during treatment, even if, for example, they just want to meet for a few minutes when they come in to the hospital for something as simple as a blood draw. This level of accessibility and interaction reinforces to patients that they’re not alone on the cancer journey.” —Susan Reffett, RN, BSN, CNOR, CPN, Oncology Nurse Navigator at Frankfort Regional Help Build a Legacy of Prevention Frankfort Regional Medical Center invites community members to be part of the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3). Quite simply, the goal of CPS-3 is to gain a better understanding of how to prevent cancer. CPS-3 seeks to add to the knowledge gleaned from earlier cancer prevention studies by following at least 300,000 adults from diverse racial and ethnic populations across the United States. Individuals willing to commit to long-term involvement in the study must be between 30 and 65 years old and have no personal history of cancer, excluding basal or squamous cell skin cancer. Interested individuals may enroll in CPS-3 October 18 to 20 in conference rooms B and C on the second floor of Frankfort Regional’s Medical Pavilion. Participants are encouraged to schedule an appointment in advance. Enrollment hours are: • Thursday, October 18, 2 to 7:30 p.m. • Friday, October 19, 6 to 11:30 a.m. • Saturday, October 20, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Enrollees will be required to provide basic personal information, have their waist measured and participate in a blood draw. Once enrolled, participants must complete a lifestyle questionnaire mailed to them by the ACS every two years for 20 years. “Our society has made significant public health changes based on what we’ve learned from past cancer prevention studies,” says Connie Gayle White, MD, MS, FACOG, Chair of the Frankfort Regional Board of Trustees. “Our grandchildren and great-grandchildren deserve our time and cooperation in trying to find ways to improve life on this planet.” To make an appointment to enroll in CPS-3 or for more information, visit cps3frankfort.org or call 1-888-604-5888.

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