Relationships, technology and compassion. This triumvirate of distant cousins is making headlines in the world of specialized cancer care, and here’s why: It’s called the Primary Nursing Care Model. The new James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, slated to open later this year, has already garnered a national and international reputation as a 21st century, state-of-the-art cancer hospital, with each inpatient floor addressing a specific type of cancer. It’s sub-specialized and super sub-specialized care on every level, at every turn – including nursing. At the new James, each patient has a specialized primary oncology nurse who will build a relationship while also serving as the main coordinator for individualized care with the teams of medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, pathologists, radiation oncologists, pharmacists, genomics experts and more. Brenda Kendall, RN, BSN, MS, CNOR, administrator of Clinical Operations & Surgical Services, believes each patient will benefit from this focused, compassionate, specialized care. “When a patient builds a relationship with a nurse and is able to have meaningful conversations, the patients feels so much more comfortable,” she says. “Plus you have one primary set of eyes as the main coordinator for the entire care team. That is in the very best interest of that patient.” Add to that the technology factor, and patients will see even more immediate specialized care. Each oncology nurse will carry a hand-held electronic device so that when a patient pushes the call button, the call goes directly to the patient’s nurse rather than a nurses’ station. The nurse receives the message instantly, and can rapidly respond. Among other tech-savvy advances is MyChart Bedside, a secure charting system that enables patients to access their updated charting information, medical records, test results, lab values and more – right at the bedside. They can also send non-urgent messages to their care providers and schedule appointments for after discharge. “This is so exciting,” Kendall says. “The new James will house technological advances that have a lasting and immediate impact on cancer care delivery. But beyond that – in addition to the technology, the world-renowned specialists and sub-specialists, the state-of-the art facility – what we’re really doing is what we’ve always strived to do: provide hope for our patients.” To learn more about the nursing at the new home of The James, watch this week’s segment of Toward a Cancer-Free World!