THE ROLE OF YOUR BREAST CARE NURSE
The Breast Care Nurse at St Andrew’s Toowoomba Hospital is a Specialist Registered Nurse who has been specifically trained to look after those people affected by breast cancer.
By providing you with a consistent source of information and support, your Nurse will help unscramble and make sense of the medical terminology, explain your procedures in layman’s terms and detail what this diagnosis may mean or you now and in the future.
Your Nurse can co-ordinate care along with providing you and your family with support, guidence and advice during this very difficult time. At any point during your diagnosis, surgery, treatment and recovery you can see your Nurse.
HOW CAN YOUR BREAST CARE NURSE HELP YOU?
Your Nurse at St Andrew’s is all about finding the right answers to both specific questions and general concerns that you might have.
The Breast Care Nurse will co-ordinate your care from the time of diagnosis, through to treatment and follow up. Your Nurse can:
- Explain your treatment and potential side effects
- Explain your hospital stay and what to expect on the day of your surgery
- Simplify your chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy and/or hormone therapy and discuss the possible side effects
- Provide information on breast prostheses and breast reconstruction
- Provide key sources of information and link you to services
- Provide emotional support
- Answer any questions you may have
- What is normal?
- What is not?
- How long do the drains stay in?
- How long will I be in hospital?
- Am I meant to feel tight and uncomfortable?
- Will I get Lymphoedema?
- What can I do after surgery e.g. when can I do the shopping, the washing, drive a car, exercise?
- When can I get back to a normal life?
- When will my treatment start?
- How long will it take?
- Will my treatment affect my ability to have children?
- How will this diagnosis affect my family?
- Should I get genetic testing?
LOCATED: Ground Floor Suite 5, Building 2
PHONE 4646 3107 FAX 4646 3158
MOBILE 0408 229 993
EMAIL footg@sath.org.au; kelseym@sath.org.au