Nursing at SCCA

Advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) serve as important members of the care team. As advanced practice providers, SCCA’s ARNPs work with physicians and nurses in specific disease groups, in infusion areas and with specialty care services to guide treatment plans and provide supportive care to oncology patients.

Nurses in the Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) program support patients who are assigned to a team based on their diagnosis and type of transplant. BMT team nurses work closely with the entire transplant team, which is made up of physicians, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, registered dieticians, social workers and many others. They follow patients during inpatient and outpatient treatment, triage symptoms, answer patient questions and help coordinate care for patients who are receiving allogeneic transplants, autologous transplants or long-term follow-up care.

Nurses provide a variety of supportive and specialty care services at SCCA that contribute to the overall care of oncology patients. These specialty service departments include Supportive and Palliative Care, Apheresis, Clinical Trials, the Wellness Clinic, Radiation Oncology, Procedure Suite, Alliance Lab and Transfusion Services.

Clinical nurse coordinators in the general oncology and heme/heme malignancy clinics work closely with physicians, advanced practice providers and supportive care services to support patients within a particular disease group. They triage symptoms, answer patient questions, assist with procedures and help coordinate care from the patient’s very first visit throughout their cancer journey.

Nurses working in the Bezos Family Immunotherapy Clinic provide a range of care to patients who are receiving immunotherapy treatments. Some nurses in this clinic provide hands-on care to patients by administering chemotherapies and immunotherapies, providing supportive care and assisting with bedside procedures. Other nurses work closely with physicians and advanced practice providers to coordinate care, triage symptoms over the phone and answer patient questions. In both roles, nurses function as part of an integrated team to deliver seamless care to immunotherapy patients.

Infusion nurses administer chemotherapy, blood products and other medications and treatments prescribed by the care team for a wide variety of oncologic diagnoses. SCCA infusion nurses work closely with physicians, advanced practice providers, clinical nurse coordinators and other clinical support staff to ensure continuity of care for all patients.

Nurses contribute to many non-clinical departments at SCCA, using their training and expertise to inform the education, patient care, quality improvement and safety of frontline staff. These departments include Research; Quality & Regulatory; Research, Scholarship & Program Development; Nursing Education; Employee Health & Safety; and Infection Prevention.

Nurses can progress to clinic leadership roles by becoming preceptors, supervisors, managers or professional practice coordinators and can serve on various nursing committees. SCCA nurses at every level are encouraged to participate in scholarly inquiry and quality improvement and present their work in local, national and international professional conferences and publications.

SCCA RNs and LPNs who work at least 50 percent FTE and have been employed for longer than six months are eligible to receive continuing education funds every fiscal year, up to $300, based on percent FTE. Funds can be used for many kinds of continuing education, including local and national conferences, professional membership fees, health care books and study and testing time toward nursing certifications.

SCCA employees who have an FTE of 50 percent or more and have completed one year of continuous service are eligible for tuition reimbursement through SCCA.

SCCA’s Clinical Continuing Education Library has a robust range of live and pre-recorded classes and webinars from world-renowned experts in cancer care. Access is available to staff and students at all SCCA locations, network affiliate sites and academic partner institutions. For more information, please email education@seattlecca.org.

The Advanced Practice RN (APRN) and Professional Practice Coordinator (PCC) Council provides oversight of nursing research, practice and education across all SCCA sites of care. The APRN/PPC Council is responsible for ensuring that RN, LPN, MA and NA-C practice is in alignment with regulatory requirements and SCCA’s vision, values and strategic plan.

The Clinical Practice Council partners with local practice councils to integrate work and achieve progress in the areas of clinical practice, outcomes and research.

The Nursing Shared Leadership Council provides a framework for staff and management to collaborate on developing nursing care practices and making other decisions related to patient care.

The Professional Development Council promotes staff education, personal and professional growth, and recognition for RNs, LPNs, MAs and NA-Cs at SCCA. 

What it means to have accreditation: The Commission on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations that aims to improve the survival rate and quality of life of cancer patients. CoC-accredited cancer programs establish standards that promote cancer prevention, research, education and monitoring of comprehensive quality care. Accredited programs focus on the entire spectrum of cancer, from prevention to end-of-life and survivorship care, with a significant focus on patient survival and quality of life. 

What it means to have accreditation: FACT accreditation elevates our position as a quality organization and informs patients, health insurance companies and governments that our organization is dedicated to excellence in patient care and laboratory practices.

What it means to be a Member Institution: NCCN Member Institutions pioneered the concept of the multidisciplinary team approach to patient care and lead the fight against cancer as they integrate programs in patient care, research and education. Programs at NCCN Member Institutions offer access to expert physicians, superior treatment and quality and safety initiatives that continuously improve the effectiveness and efficiency of cancer care.

In 2020, SCCA was awarded the Employer Recognition Award from the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC) for providing ongoing support and recognition of oncology certified nurses.

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The story of the DAISY Award begins at SCCA. In 1999, J. Patrick Barnes, a twotime survivor of Hodgkin lymphoma, spent eight weeks with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/University of Washington Medical Center/SCCA receiving treatment for idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura, an autoimmune disorder. His nurses’ humility, kindness and compassion impressed Barnes’ family. After he died, they created the DAISY Award (Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem) to honor nurses.

Read more about the DAISY Award

National Nurses Week occurs annually from May 6–12. Each year at SCCA, many exciting events are planned during this week to express support and appreciation for our nurses. We are proud of our nurses, who provide great attention and specialized care for patients and contribute their time outside of patient care to mentor and orient students and new nurses, conduct research and participate in quality improvement projects. National Nurses Week concludes on Florence Nightingale’s birthday with the commemoration and recognition of SCCA nurses past and present.

Our providers are a fundamental part of the extraordinary care SCCA provides. Through their commitment to keeping patients at the center of all they do, SCCA nurses and specialists prove that by working together, we can tackle any challenge we face.

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