In this ANZUP conference highlight, Kath Schubach chats to Catherine Paterson from the Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Canberra about some of the key messages from the nursing program at ANZUP how to improve the supportive care needs of patients with urological cancers.
Dr Catherine Paterson is a clinical academic nurse with expertise in prostate cancer. She has advanced clinical practice in prostate biopsy, fiducial gold seed insertion and has set up and led a number of nurse-led prostate cancer clinics to address the areas of unmet supportive care needs. Catherine is part of a large international research team carrying out systematic review work under the auspices of the European Association of Urology Guidelines Office Board and the European Association of Urology Prostate Cancer Guidelines panel.
Talking Urology podcast transcript
ANZUP 2019 Interviews – Kath Schubach and Catherine Paterson
Kath Schubach: Good morning. I’m Kath Schubach. I’m at ANZUP and our theme of this year is making connections. I’d like to introduce you to Catherine Patterson who is our international speaker from Scotland, but is out now currently residing in Canberra. Hi, Catherine. How are you going?
Catherine Paterson: I’m going great thanks Kath.
Kath: And what have you thought of the meeting so far?
Catherine: I have to say I think it’s been absolutely incredible. I think our theme is around making connections and this is a perfect platform for it because it’s so interdisciplinary and it’s just been absolutely wonderful. Loved it.
Kath: And what do you think the key messages have been in the nursing program and overall?
Catherine: So, that’s a great question actually Kath. I think for us as nurses but also for us who think about making connections with, I think there are a number of key points. Certainly, for our areas around quality of life and supportive care. I think what we’ve identified is that when we think about our uro‑oncology tumor groups, I think there are clear gaps around where some unmet needs are and now that we really know what some of those unmet needs around care coordination, I think that’s really important in working up on that and also thinking about how do we fill those gaps I think is really really important.
Kath: I know just the overall feeling from nurses meeting you and they are just very enthusiastic about taking their work further and I think that that’s going to be a tremendous amount of work but also a tremendous amount of satisfaction for everybody. Under your leadership, I think it’s going to be a really great project.
Catherine: Thank you so much Kath. I think we’ve got huge potential here. I think in your role as the president and then we have the work of all of the nurses coming together collectively and I think that’s the important thing is that nurses know what we need for our patients. We can see where the gaps are and then we can see how to address those gaps nationally but also I think internationally as well.
Kath: Yes. I must agree with you as well. I think one of the things that I love about this meeting is it is very interdisciplinary a very multiteam focused — what’s your thoughts on that?
Catherine: I think that’s absolutely right. I think moving forward even if we have like one example, around penile cancer. So, we had seen that’s a profoundly underrepresented group, but yet they have huge unmet needs. It’s a really challenge one, how to take that forward clinically but also from a research point of view because the numbers are so rare, but actually they when we think about all of our GU cancers, it’s probably one of the most powerfully underrepresented with the highest unmet supportive care needs.
Kath: I think that, just going on that, I know that you and I were both touched by a consumer in our Consumer Education Forum and he actually articulated that exact gap. It was like a light bulb moment for both of us, so it just gives you that drive because it is all about our patients. And so, it’s an important area but I think we’re going to get a lot of buy-in with ANZUP and have access to a lot of people through that network.
Catherine: I think it’s the exciting times going forward and I think we’ve got a lot of more work to do a lot of amazing work has been done and we’ve seen that showcased throughout in our nurses symposium meeting. I was just blown away, truly blown away from coming over from Scotland, and I know when I stay in Canberra, Kath, I’ve not been here very long, but absolutely just blown away. Just amazing.
Kath: That’s great. And so, moving forward where do you think— this time next year at our ANZUP Conference, I’m sure there’s going be a lot more nursing presentations.
Catherine: I think there will be and it’s just going to be exciting times to see we’re where we are now. We’ve got our next steps in place and then we will go from there. So, absolutely exciting.
Kath: Looking forward to it. Thanks very much Catherine.
Catherine: Thank you so much Kath. Thank you.