Partnering for Cancer Care
The school and UM/Sylvester Cancer Center launch an innovative program
From left: Eileen Butler, R.N., and Elizabeth Smith, R.N., of UM/Sylvester
Comprehensive Cancer Center with Oncology Nursing Scholarship
interns Marsha Gaye Elson, Emma Kamau, and Mariadela Matute.Emma Kamau, a native of Kenya, is an experienced medical secretary and research coordinator. Marsha Gaye Elson began her career in broadcast television. Mariadela Matute is a former recreational therapist. Despite their diverse backgrounds, the three women have some important things in common. All have watched loved ones cope with or succumb to the ravages of cancer. All are newly minted R.N.'s who earned a B.S.N. from the School of Nursing and Health Studies. And as the first cohort in a new collaboration between the School of Nursing and Health Studies and UM/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, all three have made a commitment to oncology nursing.
Currently geared toward students in the school's Accelerated B.S.N. program, the partnership includes full-tuition scholarships, stipends to cover books and fees, and an intensive 12-week oncology internship that combines didactic learning and clinical practicums. In exchange, the students make a commitment to work at UM/Sylvester for a minimum of two years.
According to Elizabeth Smith, R.N., director of nursing administration at UM/Sylvester, the program's selection process is rigorous. "Oncology nurses must be very compassionate yet highly competent," Smith says. "We choose the candidates whom we believe will be the best fit and will offer the most to the field."
"Oncology nursing is multifaceted and dynamic," says UM/Sylvester oncology nurse educator Eileen Butler, R.N. "Learning to do it well is a process of assimilation of knowledge and integration of this information in the clinical setting. Our interns share a wonderful level of focus and maturity that will play an essential role in their success."
These qualities have already proved invaluable. "In this type of nursing, you need to be fully committed to your patients-and because I lost a loved one to cancer, I can identify with their needs and the challenges they face," Kamau says.
"There's so much to learn-not only about oncology, but about the many other conditions our patients also often have," says Elson. "While we may not always be able to fix problems, we need to be able to recognize them and to know what to do. Sometimes what families need most is a sympathetic ear."
"As your knowledge grows and you begin to trust your intuition, caregiving becomes more and more rewarding," Matute reflects. "At the end of the day, you feel you've made a real impact."
The scholarship program marks the beginning of a comprehensive collaboration envisioned between the school and UM/Sylvester. Six Accelerated B.S.N. students have already been selected as next year's cohort of oncology nursing interns. The school's 12-month R.N.-to-B.S.N. program will welcome a cohort of UM/Sylvester nurses this January. Additional areas of partnership to be developed include new B.S.N. electives, a nurse practitioner track, and a post-master's fellowship with a dual emphasis on oncology research and clinical care.
"This program offers tremendous opportunities for both the School of Nursing and Health Studies and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center," Smith says. "It's a perfect example of the innovative and progressive spirit of the school under Dean Peragallo's leadership."
