Forum Discussion
Breast Care Nurses
One of the things I've noticed since I've been on this forum are various discussions about Breast Care Nurses - who has one, what do they do, whether they're helpful or not, how to access one... etc, etc. It all seems like a great idea and the couple I have met seem very nice but the actual application of the service on the whole seems to be rather slipshod. The ones I met in hospital when I had surgery were helpful at the time and rang once when I got home to check that I was okay but I was very surprised to find out months later, that they were meant to be my nurses on a continuing basis. I have not developed any relationship with them and, unless I end up back at that hospital, I feel I am unlikely to. I read people's posts saying how fantastic their bc nurses are and I also read posts asking how to access such a service. Absolutely not knocking the nurses, but wonder why it's such a hit and miss thing.
63 Replies
- Thanks, @Marianne_BCNA It just struck me how different everyone's experiences seem to be.
- Hi all,
Thanks for alerting me to this conversation @iserbrown. The very varied experiences and disparity in care you all describe with breast care nurses reflects what we learnt from our State of the Nation project. We are aware that this is particularly an issue for women who have neoadjuvant therapy as they may not see a breast care nurse until much later in their treatment or at all. We have fed the information we received form the State of the nation back to McGrath and CNSA and have been in close communication with them. There isn't an updated position statement re breastcare nurses but I understand that this is a priority for them and we will maintain communication with them during this process. - Agreed and very disappointing in retrospect
- @Romla Yes, we've experienced similar things from the same place l. It's a bit difficult to know what to ask for if you don't know it exists.
- @Janny54 you too are from Adelaide I see. Wonder if the bc nurses were from the same hospital as @Sister and I had surgery in ? Local Encore ladies from the southern area tell a completely different story about the level of support from bc nurses at FMC - I was astounded at the comparison of our experiences.
@sister Like you I had a BCN when I first went into hospital. Another one came to see me the day after my Operation but since then I have heard nothing. I did call them a week after my op as I had inflammation and they advised me to go back to the hospital which I did. I had picked up an infection. I didn't get a phone call from the BCN to see if everything was OK.
I didn't think anything of it at the time. But now the subject has been brought up there does seem to be a huge difference in what different area's and BCN's do.
On saying that I wouldn't want there job for quids. There must have very broad shoulders to help so many people.
xxxx
- @Giovanna_BCNA
@Marianne_BCNA
is there an updated position statement on Breast Care nurses that could be put up here? the one I found on the BCNA website refers to 2004
Experiences are mixed however I think it is a little direction that most would appreciate to understand if they are available in their area and the protocols based around contact et cetera - I do not include my surgeon or his staff in the above remarks.
- To put it bluntly my experience made me think the title breast cancer nurse was a social status symbol and somewhat shallow in substance and effect.I have privatehealth insurance and was shocked to compare my care with those who were public patients at Flinders Medical Centre - mine seemed just about throughput and money -both the surgery and radiotherapy - with no interest once the service was delivered and little at the time.
