The increasing number of breast cancer survivors, driven by advances in early detection and treatment, has created a growing demand for long-term follow-up care in oncology outpatient clinics. As a tertiary care center, our clinic faces a heavy daily workload, with a significant proportion of visits dedicated to breast cancer survivors who are clinically cured but require ongoing surveillance, management of treatment-related side effects, and psychosocial support. Recognizing the chronic nature of survivorship care and the need for a more sustainable model, we initiated a breast cancer survivorship nursing clinic by training specialized nurses to take on a central role in the care of these patients.
The primary goal of this initiative was to provide personalized, holistic, and accessible care for breast cancer survivors while alleviating the burden on oncologists. Nurses were trained to conduct survivorship visits, which included monitoring for recurrence, managing long-term side effects (e.g., fatigue, lymphedema, and hormonal symptoms), addressing psychosocial concerns, and promoting healthy lifestyle changes. Survivorship care plans were developed to ensure continuity of care and patient empowerment.
In Princess Margaret Hospital, nurse-led breast cancer survivorship clinic was established in October 2024. Before its implementation, our team had several preparatory work done to lead its successful running of the clinic with good number of patients enrolled in the initial phase. By shifting survivorship care to trained nurses, oncologists can focus on active cancer treatment, while survivors receive dedicated attention tailored to their unique needs. This model not only addresses the challenges of rising patient volumes and long survival times but also highlights the critical role of nurses in delivering high-quality, patient-centered survivorship care.
In conclusion, the breast cancer survivorship nursing clinic represents an innovative and sustainable approach to meeting the complex needs of breast cancer survivors, ensuring their long-term well-being while optimizing healthcare resources in a tertiary care setting.
