By JC Leahy
I'm excited that I have completed a
training certificate in Cancer Patient Care Navigation with the Smith
Center for Healing and the Arts in Washington, This year’s
training program was limited to 20 trainees – a diverse group of
physicians, nutrition experts,
therapists, patient care advocates, nonprofit professionals, and
nurses. The training program was crafted to prepare attendees to guide
cancer patients from screening through recovery.
By
2015, the American College of Surgeons will require EVERY cancer center
to have a patient care navigation program as a condition of
accreditation.
With
a unique focus on integrative health and holistic wellness, Smith
Center’s Patient Navigation model and training program have grown to
attract participants from across the country. This year’s group of 20
participants joined together from New York, Illinois, Texas, Georgia,
South Carolina, California, and as far away as Hawaii. The program
lasted for 5 days, with most days training lasting a solid 13 hours.
During the training, highly-regarded experts in oncology care,
psychosocial support, complementary therapies, cancer survivorship,
palliative care, nutrition, and stress reduction offered information and
tools to navigators in an immersive retreat setting. The retreat
environment is modeled after Smith Center's Weeklong Cancer Retreat
Program, which has been at the core of the organization’s work since
1996. The training is also made up of a unique blend of didactic and
experiential sessions that provides a comprehensive yet deep learning
experience in the practice of integrative cancer care navigation.
Footnote: cool quote from the Smith Center's Laura Pole's nutrition education: "You can't eat dogma."
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