Support Services

Top 3 Takeaways from Episode 1 of the Heart and Soul of Oncology Navigation Podcast: How to Implement a Successful Virtual Environment for Support Programs

Pamela Goetz and Jennifer Bires discuss how to successfully deliver a virtual program during a pandemic and how the virtual setting is here to stay in this AONN+ podcast episode.

The Opioid Crisis

Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN
Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Supportive Care Department, explains the current escalation of the opioid crisis in the United States.

Safe Use of Pain Medications

Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN
Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Supportive Care Department, says that patients are fearful of beginning opioid medication because of the risk of addiction.

Allaying Patients' Fears

Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN
Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Supportive Care Department, describes some strategies the healthcare team can employ to assure patients that their opioid medications will be closely monitored and that there are additional methods to deal with pain.

Managing Patients' Pain Medications

Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN
Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Supportive Care Department, offers suggestions that navigators can use to manage patients' opioid treatments.

Helping Patients with Pain

Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN
Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Supportive Care Department, describes sources of patients' pain and how to help them manage it.

Alternatives to Opioid Medications

Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN
Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Supportive Care Department, discusses alternative ways to address patients' pain.

Opioid Pain Medication Management

Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN
Sometimes an opioid medication is the only thing that will alleviate pain, explains Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Supportive Care Department, and will need to be managed carefully.

Steps to Take for Opioid Dependence

Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN
Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Supportive Care Department, discusses the steps to take when patients are struggling with medications.

Red Flags with Opioids

Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN
Tonya Edwards, MS, MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Supportive Care Department, enumerates some of the red flags that navigators should watch for with patients taking opioids.