May is National Oncology Nursing Month, and to honor the incredible dedication, skill, and compassion our nurses bring to each Navvisa patient and their loved ones every day, we wish to take this month to shine a spotlight on each individual and their remarkable talents.
MEET SARAH COLSON
Sarah Colson, MSN began her career as an X-ray/CT and MRI Technologist in 1999. She earned her Masters of Science in Nursing degree in 2012 and became a licensed Nurse Practitioner in 2018. Over the years, she has also earned several other advanced degrees and certifications related to oncology nursing including AGPCNP (Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner), AOCNP (Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner), ELNEC Oncology APRN (End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium). She has been working as an Oncology Nurse Navigator for the past seven years and has served as an Oncology Nurse Guide for Navvisa since December 2022.
What aspect of oncology nursing does Sarah find most interesting?
Sarah has a particular interest in Palliative Care and speaks passionately about the difference between Palliative Care and Hospice:
“Palliative care’s focus is to ease suffering, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual. It’s about caring for the person as a whole. Holistic care has always been my nursing philosophy.”
What draws Sarah to oncology nursing?
Sarah derives great personal satisfaction from being able to provide a patient or family member insight or education on something they didn’t understand before; maybe something they didn’t feel comfortable asking their physician. As she explains,
“Walking with someone during the darkest, scariest times of their lives is a sacred, humbling act.”
She loves being able to break down medical information in a way a patient can truly grasp and also being able to bring up a sensitive topic a patient has really been wanting to discuss, but hasn’t felt comfortable or given time to do so. With all of her years of experience, Sarah understands first-hand the special trust and safe space that exists between a patient and nurse, and this is what she loves most about her job.
