Communities

The Nazareth Community Oncology Unit: The Oncology Nurse’s Role to Provide Care in the Environment of COVID-19

Mordechai Dayan

Shadia Zgairy

Abed Agbarya

cancer care, community, COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine, treatment
CJON 2021, 25(3), 347-350. DOI: 10.1188/21.CJON.347-350

The Community Oncology Unit (COU) in Nazareth, Israel, provides complete medical treatments to patients who live in the rural area of the country. During the COVID-19 pandemic, oncology nurses face additional challenges in facilitating cancer care. Pertinent adjustments are being made at the COU to maintain patients’ safety and enable continuous oncology therapy by coordinating patients’ COVID-19 testing and vaccination program.

AT A GLANCE

  • The oncology nurse role at the Nazareth COU has been intensified during COVID-19 surges because of additional physical precautionary measures. 
  • Providing nursing care during the COVID-19 pandemic has stressed the role of mitigating risks of patients with cancer and expanded it to include being a case manager, coordinating additional referrals and healthcare professional home visits.
  • The unique role of the oncology nurse at the COU has been exemplified in combating COVID-19 spread by taking care of scheduling vaccine administrations in addition to frequent telemedicine outreach surveying for side effects.
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