The Role of the Haematology Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
CNSs, are key workers, they treat and manage the health concerns of patients and work to promote health and wellbeing in the patients they care for. They will be your main point of contact throughout your treatment.
They use their skills and expertise in cancer care to provide physical and emotional support, coordinate care services and to inform and advise patients on clinical as well as practical issues, leading to positive patient outcomes. When appropriate, they will refer you to other health professionals or external organisations as the need arises.
They are here to provide information and advice to you and your loved ones in all aspects of your disease, treatment and care.
In line with National Guidelines, decisions on the best way to treat your disease should involve a range of knowledgeable professionals meeting together to discuss treatment options. This is called a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meeting. Your case will be discussed by the following professionals from within the regional area:
• Haematologists, including your consultant, who specialise in diagnosing and treating blood disorders.
• Haematology pathologists, specialising in cells and body tissues.
• Radiologists specialising in haematological cancer will review your xrays/scans.
• A member of the CNS team to represent the patient’s views.
When all this information has been gathered, which can sometimes take time, there will be a joint discussion of your case to determine your best treatment options. At present our MDT meeting takes place on a Tuesday afternoon.
Psychological distress is a natural response to being diagnosed with a serious illness. People can respond to this distress in different ways. They may get support from family and friends or from other sources such as nurses and doctors. Some patients however find this is not enough and would benefit from professional support. Your CNS will signpost you to the most appropriate service.
People affected by illness can have a variety of needs in terms of social support. This can be arranged through the hospital or by your GP. Your CNS can signpost you to the most appropriate service.
Money is often a major concern for people facing illness. The Macmillan support team can help by giving you contact information about financial entitlements that may be available & can also help with form filling if needed. It is best to think about this early on in your treatment.
The hospital provides a Chaplaincy Service which can be accessed at any time. Spirituality is not necessarily confined to formal religion and unsettling questions such as ‘Why is this happening to me?’ and ‘How will I cope?’ often arise. It may be that counselling might be of benefit and your CNS can provide information about how to organise this.
The following charities are also an excellent source of information and can also provide details about support groups that may be available:
Macmillan Cancer Support (www.macmillan.org.uk, tel: 0808 8080000).
Lymphoma Action (www.lymphoma-action.org.uk, tel: 0808 808 5555)
Myeloma UK (www.myeloma.org.uk, tel: 0800 980 3332)
Leukaemia Care (www.leukaemiacare.org.uk, tel: 08088 010444)
Aplastic Anaemia (www.theaat.org.uk, tel: 0300 102 3202
Your Haematology Clinical Nurse Specialist can be contacted on the following:
