Newswise — The caring and curing efforts of over 125,000 nurse practitioners (NPs) will be recognized during this year's National Nurse Practitioner Week, which is taking place November 9 through 15. With 600 million visits made to nurse practitioners each year nationwide according to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, NPs are in the unique position of being in the forefront in providing direct care to patients. Besides clinical care, nurse practitioners focus on health promotion, disease prevention, health education, research, and counseling. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) is making nurse practitioners available to discuss the many aspects of their practice during this week of recognition. CINJ is a Center of Excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Oncology nurse practitioners at CINJ provide direct health care to prevent and meet the acute, symptomatic, and palliative care needs of patients with cancer. NPs have graduate, advanced education and clinical training beyond their registered nurse preparation. They are responsible for completing comprehensive health assessments, supervising and interpreting diagnostic tests, prescribing pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments, and screening to promote wellness. CINJ currently has more than two dozen nurse practitioners on staff.
CINJ experts available for comment include:
Regina Cunningham, PhD, RN, AOCN, is the chief nursing officer at CINJ and assistant professor of Family Medicine at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Cunningham's research focuses on the transition of survivors back into the primary care setting. She is available to discuss the topic of cancer survivorship and how NPs influence the outcome of patients in this area.
Susan Doyle-Lindrud. DNP, APN-C, is the assistant director of clinical research in the Dean and Betty Gallo Prostate Cancer Center at CINJ. She recently received a doctoral degree in the Doctor of Nursing Program (DNP), which has a focus in comprehensive clinical practice. The DNP degree is considered the highest academic preparation for nursing practice. Dr. Doyle-Lindrud has been practicing nursing for 20 years and has been at CINJ for the last 12. She can discuss the benefits of being doctorally prepared in this fashion.
Peggy Joyce, PhD(c), RN, AOCN, is a nurse practitioner at CINJ who is studying the various aspects of neuropathy, such as the "pins and needles" feeling of numbness, tingling, swelling, and muscle weakness in various parts of the body, as it relates to chemotherapy. She is also researching the effects of shortness of breath in those with lung cancer.
Marlene McGuire, RN, MA, NPC, is a nurse practitioner in the survivors program at CINJ and is available to discuss the unique role of nurse practitioners caring for survivors. She is a member of the Breast Oncology Program/New Jersey Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center as well as the Melanoma and Sarcoma Unit.
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