“
This special
care ensures that
patients and
families are
involved
in every
aspect of their
care, and that has
been valuable
for everyone.”
From Nurse to Patient: An
Eye-Opening Twist of Fate
When AAMC Breast Center Nurse Navigator Jeanne Morris was diagnosed with
breast cancer in 2009, it was difficult for her to accept the role reversal.
“
It was such a shocking transition from the one caring for patients to the one who
needed care,” says Morris. Fortunately for her, the cancer was detected early and she
was back to work a few months after surgery and treatment.
For Morris, being a patient among peers was eye-opening. She realized how
seemingly minor acts—kind words, a hug, and, most of all, including patients as
part of the team—made such a difference. So she directed her experience to help
implement patient- and family-centered care at AAMC.
“
My experience reminded me that while we may be experts in the medical arena,
patients are the experts in regards to their own bodies,” she says. Her work includes
collaborating with patient and family advisors on committees throughout the
hospital as well as improving practices that engage patients and their families in their
overall medical care plan.
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