Nurse practitioners serve in a variety of roles within healthcare. At Azusa Pacific University, nursing students have the opportunity to focus on and prepare to specialize in providing oncology care through the Oncology Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program. One of just 10 in the country, APU provides unique preparation to students who want to continue their expertise in care.
This program is a post-graduate opportunity for already qualified nurse practitioners. “It is designed for licensed nurse practitioners interested in providing high-quality care across the continuum in cancer care to patients and their families–from screening and prevention through survivorship and palliative care,” said Mary Lynne Knighten, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, DNP program director and associate professor. Nurses gain experience in the classroom and in clinical settings that prepare them for certification. “Candidates will be prepared to address the unique physiologic and psychosocial needs of cancer patients across the illness span in a program that emphasizes screening, surveillance, diagnosis, staging, treatment, supportive care, and team-building,” said Knighten.
Oncology provides many opportunities and roles for nurse practitioners. “They can
assist in preparing patients for surgical interventions, help with navigating treatment, evaluate patient outcomes, and perform a variety
of other roles. It is not one size fits all, but specific to each role and person,”
said assistant professor Sagie De Guzman, PhD, APRN, A-CNS, ANP-C. “This program will
prepare students to take on any role within the general practice of oncology.” De
Guzman works as a nurse practitioner in urology and urologic oncology, focusing on supporting patients through surgery, post-operative care, and any complications.
He uses his lived experience in healthcare to help inform the courses that students
in the program take.
With hands-on learning opportunities, students in the program gain essential experience in oncology practices. “In this fellowship, students will have 540 hours of supervised direct patient care experiences in multiple hematology/oncology specialty services at a comprehensive cancer center,” said Knighten. The ability to put in the hours under the supervision of experts puts graduates of this program ahead of the curve.
Cancer care requires both a medical and empathetic understanding of patients. “It is a whole team approach to care. We prepare students on how these patients need care, not only physically, emotionally, but spiritually as well,” said De Guzman. APU teaches students a Christian approach to care, with the understanding that providing care goes beyond medical needs, but caring for the whole person (mind, body, spirit) of each patient.
To provide the best care to patients, nurse practitioners need to be team players with the rest of the health care team. This program teaches students how to work smoothly with everyone in the room, to provide the best care possible. “We help nurses collaborate with healthcare providers in the healthcare team: physicians, radiation oncologists, psychologists, and social workers. It’s a whole team approach to care,” said De Guzman. “In my work, I am constantly providing support to other members of the healthcare team. We work towards collaborative agreements about all the patient’s needs; that is our priority.”
Graduates from this program leave with the experience and knowledge necessary to pass the certification exam and enter the workplace. Through the support of their professors, students excel in the healthcare field. “Students should choose APU because we offer multiple successful post-master’s NP certificates,” said Knighten. “We have multiple affiliation agreements with practice partners who have comprehensive cancer centers among their service lines, allowing students direct access to the field they hope to enter and experts to learn from.” APU’s program provides expertise in an environment that supports students and sets them up for success.