Blogs

Welcome to the APSHO member blog! The APSHO Communications Committee invites APSHO members to submit blog posts for the Community Blog. Do you have an idea for a blog post? Please submit your title and post at www.apsho.org/BlogSubmission.  Please note, post timing is dependent on reviewer availability and number of pending blog posts. We look forward to reading your blog posts; if you have any questions please contact MemberServices@APSHO.org.

Evidence-Based Strategies for Well-Being and Professional Fulfillment (APSHO Advance, Vol 11, No 1)

By Annie Yueh posted 03-31-2025
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Evidence-Based Strategies for Well-Being and Professional Fulfillment By APSHO Staff A t JADPRO Live 2024, a panel of advanced practice providers (APPs) led a discussion on burnout and well-being. @Carolyn Grande , CRNP, AOCNP, FAPO, a nurse practitioner at Abramson Cancer Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, @Rachel Eiring , PA-C, an oncology PA and NP/PA Supervisor at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Laura Kirk, MSPAS, PA-C, CPXP, DFAAPA, FACH, Assistant Director of Advanced Practice Providers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, presented tools for oncology APPs to cultivate resilience, advocate for system-level ...
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APSHO, JADPRO, and JADPRO Live: Making Sense of the Alphabet Soup!

By Andrew Guinigundo posted 08-26-2024
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APSHO, JADPRO, and JADPRO Live: Making Sense of the Alphabet Soup By Andy Guinigundo, MSN, RN, CNP, ANP-BC, FAPO, Vice President of APSHO It is all very confusing, frankly! I can join “APSHO,” but I can write for or read “JADPRO.” I can attend “JADPRO Live” either in person or virtually unless there is a global pandemic happening in which case, it will only be virtual. Yes, correct. What? You can join APSHO to get a subscription to JADPRO and also receive a discount to attend JADPRO Live. Huh? I have also heard the terms Harborside, BroadcastMed, and most recently Conexiant. [insert hand smacking forehead emoji here]. Pause. Rewind. Yes, indeed, it ...
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Geriatric Assessments: 
Standard Care and The Best Unused Tool (APSHO Advance, Vol 10, No 2)

By Annie Yueh posted 05-30-2024
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Geriatric Assessments: 
Standard Care and The Best Unused Tool By @Lorinda Coombs , PhD, CNS, FNP-BC, AOCNP®, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Nursing and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Advancing age is the single greatest factor associated with a cancer diagnosis. Approximately 60% of all cancers occur in adults 65 years and older (Estapé, 2018). Older adults diagnosed with a malignancy have additional challenges compared with younger adults. Performing a geriatric assessment (GA) as part of the workup prior to a treatment plan has been shown to offer predictive utility, avoid unnecessary toxicity, and improve patient experience ...
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Equal Pay Day March 12, 2024 - APSHO AP Statistics

By Wendy Vogel posted 03-07-2024
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Equal Pay Day (Mar 12, 2024): Closing the Gender Gap Wendy Vogel and Fiona Szeto March 12 is not just a date on the calendar, it is Equal Pay Day, a reminder of the persistent issue of wage disparity between men and women. This annual observance symbolizes how far into the year women must work to make as much as men made during the previous year and sheds light on the ongoing battle for pay equity. Originating from the Equal Pay Law of 1963 and gaining momentum since its inception in 1996, Equal Pay Day serves as a platform to raise awareness and implement strategies to bridge the wage gap. History and Legislation: The journey toward pay equity ...
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An Interview With Gayle S. Jameson, MSN, ACNP-BC, AOCN (APSHO Advance, Vol 9, No 4)

By Annie Yueh posted 12-14-2023
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An interview With @Gayle Jameson , MSN, ACNP-BC, AOCN® As interviewed by @Aileen Anglin , APRN, ACNP-BC, AOCNP Meet Gayle S. Jameson, a nurse practitioner at 
HonorHealth Research Institute (HRI) in Scottsdale, Arizona. With over 40 years of oncology experience, she has a passion for patient care and oncology research. She is a Clinical Investigator in the Oncology Clinical Trials department at HRI, a position historically only filled by physicians. Through her work, she has helped pave the way for other advanced practitioners to become involved in research. Gayle was the recipient of the 2019 Oncology Nursing Society’s ...
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El Dia de Los Muertos

By Lorinda Coombs posted 10-12-2023
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As we move deeper into the fall season and the leaves take on brilliant colors before falling, I feel reflective about the cycle of life. El Día de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, takes place just after Halloween from November 1-2 and is an opportunity to remember and celebrate those who have passed on from this world. This celebration recognizes that death is a natural part of the experience. It is a holiday similar to All Saints’ Day, another holiday that celebrates and honors loved ones who have died. Día de Los Muertos is a holiday widely observed in the Western and Southwestern U.S., as well as in Mexico. Family and friends gather to celebrate departed ...
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The Cancer Journey: Not a Linear Path

By Carolyn Grande posted 09-18-2023
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In 1969, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, a Swiss psychiatrist, introduced the five stages of grief in her book, On Death and Dying. She identified the stages as denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Interestingly, it has been realized that these stages are applicable to any loss, including an illness, losing a job, divorce, relocation, changing schools, and death. What I find particularly striking about her philosophy is that the stages do not necessarily occur in a linear fashion, nor are all the stages experienced by those undergoing a loss. I had always hoped when you arrived at acceptance, the task would be complete. Hoping doesn’t make it so. This ...
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Financial Toxicity in Early Phase Clinical Trials: How Advanced Practice Providers Can Help

By Amanda Brink posted 08-25-2023
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Financial stressors pose significant obstacles to initial enrollment and sustained participation in early phase clinical trials. The factors contributing to this issue are multifaceted. Many early phase clinical trials are conducted at major academic medical centers situated in urban areas, rather than small community cancer centers. Consequently, patients often must travel for clinic visits, treatment appointments, and re-staging scans. Clinical trials require intensive monitoring, even if patients are undergoing oral medication regimens. This monitoring might entail extended periods of observation and the collection of pharmacokinetic research data at specific ...
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Artificial Intelligence in Oncology – Friend or Foe?

By Andrew Guinigundo posted 08-22-2023
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A friend and former colleague of mine appeared on the ASCO Daily News podcast discussing artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential applications in oncology. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ai-will-allow-doctors-to-reclaim-time-with-patients/id1101234896?i=1000623310373 A decade or so ago, I was playing Texas hold’em in his basement. Today, Dr. Doug Flora is the Executive Medical Director of St. Elizabeth Medical Center Oncology Services and the Editor-in-Chief of the upcoming journal AI in Precision Oncology . The podcast really got me thinking about AI in oncology. At the risk of completely dating myself, my first memories of fictional depictions ...
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We are NOT "non-physicians"!

By Wendy Vogel posted 08-02-2023
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The American Medical Association again endorsed antiquated policies calling for the unnecessary and harmful joint regulation of NPs and other APRNs by boards of medicine and nursing during its recent House of Delegates meeting. These tactics continue to negatively impact patient access to care. The AMA's continued campaign #StopScopeCreep is divisive and dangerous to collaborative health care. The AMA continues to target nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and pharmacists’ scope of practice. The AMA states they are #FightingForDocs, but who is fighting for patients? Their rhetoric includes continuing to repeat "studies show," but there are no peer-reviewed ...
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Marketing Yourself as an Advanced Practice Provider

By Jennifer Ginest posted 06-23-2023
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Recently, I found myself unexpectedly unemployed—through no fault of my own, but an unfortunate circumstance—that literally turned my life a little upside down. It was a time of reflection and reprioritizing my wants/needs, and taking a long, hard look at where I was and where I was going professionally. After 26 years of clinical practice, first as an RN and then as an NP, I was feeling as if it was time for a change. This may not be as easy as it may seem. One thinks, “I’ve got lots of experience, no problem,” but what’s on paper does not always translate, despite how good it looks. I learned that marketing myself was much harder than anticipated. I wasn’t ...
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Forest Bathing: What It Is and Why You Should Try It

By Jennifer Ginest posted 06-21-2023
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In our fast-paced, technology-driven world, finding solace and rejuvenation can be a challenge. We often seek refuge in artificial environments, forgetting the incredible healing powers nature has to offer. Before COVID-19, I had started to practice meditation with a community group. This practice has become invaluable in helping me navigate the different challenges that I faced during the pandemic, as well as now in everyday life. Once on the other side of the pandemic, I started to look for things to do with a group but outside. I had recently discovered a nature preserve not too far from me, which is where I discovered forest bathing. Forest bathing, ...
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Happy Juneteenth

By Amy Pierre posted 06-19-2023
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Happy Juneteenth, everyone! Just wanted to reflect a bit about this time in our history and what it means to me. For those who do not know, Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated on June 19 to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the US. The holiday was first celebrated in Texas in the aftermath of the Civil War, where on that date in 1865 enslaved people were declared free under the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation. A century and a half later, people across the United States continue to celebrate the day, which is now a federal holiday. Growing up, I never learned the Juneteenth story. It was not discussed in my history classes...ever. ...
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Patient Voices Amplified at Poster Sessions During JADPRO Live 2022 (APSHO Advance, Vol 9, No 1)

By Annie Yueh posted 06-16-2023
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Patient Voices Amplified at Poster Sessions During JADPRO Live 2022 By APSHO Staff Understanding patients’ perspectives on their cancer care is a vital part of providing patient-centered care and can help the health-care team better align treatment with patients’ wishes, values, and needs. Oncology advanced practitioners often build strong partnerships with their patients over multiple visits and are therefore well-positioned to uplift patient and patient advocacy voices and incorporate them into clinical practice. At JADPRO Live 2022 in Aurora, Colorado, 14 posters in the inaugural APSHO Patient Perspective Poster Track provided invaluable insights on ...
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It’s all about the points…or is it?

By Jason Astrin posted 05-16-2023
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Just before writing this piece, I was on the APSHO FAPO page calculating my points. No, these aren’t free-food points, the spread on the NBA playoffs, or how many infractions there may be on my driving record (there aren’t any, yet). I was documenting the points I’ve earned from participating in various APSHO events and even a few points earned from supporting oncology advanced practitioners (APs) beyond our beloved Society. At this point (no pun intended), there are likely some of you wondering “What is a FAPO?” A FAPO is a Fellow of Advanced Practice in Oncology. As APSHO continues to position itself as the premier society for all APs in oncology, ...
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What to expect for our patients who observe Ramadan

By Beth Sandy posted 03-09-2023
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I work in West Philadelphia, where we have a robust and devoted Muslim community. Many of my patients observe Ramadan, which will take place this year (2023) from sundown on March 22 until April 21. Ramadan is a time of prayer and reflection during which observers fast from dawn to sundown each day, for the entire month. All food and drinks (including water) are prohibited during this period, as are other “sinful” behaviors such as using tobacco and engaging in sexual relations. For my patients with cancer who are on chemotherapy, there can be considerations. I had a discussion with one of my patients about this recently. In the past, some of my patients observing ...
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APPs Are Facing Constraints in Prescribing Chemotherapy

By Lisa Christenson posted 09-19-2022
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I would like to share an interesting abstract presented at the 2021 ASH annual meeting to study the scope of practice of oncology APPs in prescribing chemotherapy. Researchers shared the results of a survey focused on the privilege of prescribing chemotherapy by APPs in their daily practice. The survey was sent to 1307 APPs with 11% (N=149) respondents from 34 states in oncology practice. 44% of respondents reported being able to independently sign chemotherapy orders, and 56% could not. Among APPs having independent prescribing privileges, only 35% could initiate and sign new chemo orders, while the majority (89%) were limited to signing existing treatment plans. ...
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Get the Most Out of Your JADPRO Live Experience!

By Andrew Guinigundo posted 08-29-2022
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Coming this October 20 to 23, JADPRO Live will finally be live and IN PERSON for the first time since 2019. When last we met, we were Space Needle-ing, Pike Place Market-ing, and Starbucks coffee drinking in Seattle, Washington. This time around we are back in the friendly confines of a Gaylord Hotel: The Gaylord Rockies Hotel in Aurora, Colorado. If you’ve never been to JADPRO Live or even if you have, glancing at the meeting agenda can be overwhelming. Having attended national professional conferences for 30 years and JADPRO on many occasions, I have come up with a few tips. Tip #1: Scope Out the Presentations Ahead of Time JADPRO has a great app that allows ...
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Is Presence in the Past?

By Carolyn Grande posted 07-19-2022
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Is Presence in the Past? After 17 years as an oncology nurse in a variety of professional roles, I completed my master’s degree in nursing and worked in collaborative practice in medical oncology. Throughout my clinical years, I witnessed countless patients and their loved ones grapple with the “CANCER” diagnosis, the multidimensional treatment strategies, adverse events therein, changes in appearance and role, quality of life struggles, recurrence, progression, and threatened mortality. Regardless of race, ethnicity, age, creed, sexual orientation, economic, educational, or social status, this diagnosis could transport the most stable and grounded person ...
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Why I’m an Oncology AP

By Lisa Kottschade posted 06-25-2022
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I will often get asked by friends, family, and even strangers what I do for a living. When I reply that I am a nurse practitioner in oncology, the responses are usually something to the effect of, “Wow, that is a hard job. I don’t know how you do it.” But often the second half of the response is, “Thank you for doing what you do, because I could not.” This second response is often why I am reminded why I do what I do. My oncology journey began way back (and no, I’m not going to date myself!) in undergraduate when I was working as a CNA in orthopedics. I was already in nursing school but hadn’t completely settled on a speciality that I wanted to work in when ...
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