"I know that it's only simple human nature for someone to really start thinking about and questioning their mortality after a cancer diagnosis and this can lead people in many different directions. If I knew a patient was doing things like drinking heavily, taking up smoking again, or delving into poor dietary habits, my first goal would be to educate them about how poor choices like this could negatively impact their chemotherapy, radiation, or any other treatments they were receiving. From there, giving them hope for a recovery would be my top priority! While I can't make lifestyle choices for my patients as an oncology nurse, educating them and positively reinforcing treatment is what I can do and do well as part of your team."
