Meet Deb Christensen, Nurse Navigator for People Facing Advanced Cancer

For people with advanced cancer, making sense of the complexities of cancer treatment can be truly daunting. Enter the oncology nurse navigator (ONN), a nurse with specialized training to help patients overcome any barriers they may face in accessing high-quality cancer care. At Cancer Commons, our Director of Patient Services Deb Christensen, MSN, APRN, AOCNS, OCN, applies her ONN training to ensure that every patient receives the guidance they need. Here, our Curious Dr. George asks her about her work.

Curious Dr. George: You are in charge of patient services at Cancer Commons. How would you describe how you use your ONN skills every day to assist patients with advanced cancer who seek help at Cancer Commons?

Deb Christensen, MSN, APRN, AOCNS, OCN: My first real exposure to oncology was as a nurse navigator in a large healthcare organization. Care coordination is one of the main roles of the ONN. Networking and forming partnerships with other departments and physician offices was key to successfully helping people navigate the complex landscape of oncology care. I had the opportunity to participate on a committee of nurses who updated the Oncology Nursing Association Nurse Navigator Competencies in 2017 and was coeditor of Oncology Nurse Navigation: Delivering Patient-Centered Care Across the Continuum (second edition).

These experiences allowed me to share my passion for the role of the ONN and grow in the profession. After working as an ONN, and then serving as the system lead for the navigation program, I retired from the organization and joined Cancer Commons as a nurse navigator.

I am peoples’ first point of contact at Cancer Commons. I assist people through the registration process and then contact them to learn more about their cancer history and assess their needs, goals, and expectations. An essential ONN skill that I use consistently is the ability to communicate in a way people can understand and follow. Our patient navigation specialist, Lauren Levine, and I assist the patients and their families with retrieving medical records, collaborating with our Scientists, and checking in at key points in the cancer journey. Our goal is to make the entire process personalized and as simple as possible. The entire Cancer Commons team collaborates to help clients create a plan to discuss with their local oncology team. This action plan is complimentary, informed by the latest scientific research, and curated by PhD scientists.

My new role as Director of Patient Services evolved out of the Cancer Commons team’s desire to provide a more personalized experience to clients and offer new services. Our team helps clients understand their treatment options and take potential next steps. Additional services being implemented include a Cancer Commons Plus subscription for ongoing follow up and communication with the science team, clinical trial enrollment assistance, and other assistance offered by the hour. The ability to put clients first by providing non-biased treatment options and timely compassionate care is at the heart of everything we do at Cancer Commons.

Deb can be reached at deb.christensen@cancercommons.org.