RN Shift Report

People who come to the cancer clinic for the first time are very often terrified. Not the thrilling terror of a roller coaster ride or a sky dive, but real terror, like a thief breaking into your home or hanging on helpessly while your vehicle careens out of countrol on an icy road. A cancer diagnosis is like that. There is very little anyone can do to releive that anxiety. Symptoms range from dry mouth, clammy hands and feet, racing heart, to inability to concentrate, light-headedness and chest pain, among many others. When I first meet a person and am preparing them to see the oncologist I do a quick assessment to determine if there is anything I can do in the moment to relieve some pressure and help the person breathe and relax, if only a little. We keep cold bottles of water, juice, and soda in a fridge in our patient care area. I've found that offering a cold drink is often the medicine a patient and their family need to feel comforted and cared for. They need to be calm enough to hear what the oncologist has to say about their options for treatment and the prognosis for their future. An offer of a simple drink of cold water can begin the process of building trust and convey in one small way to a patient and their family that the cancer center team is on their side through the difficult journey to come.