Moving On With Breast Care Service
Diana See
Nurse Clinician
Breast Care Service, NCC
Breast care service focuses predominately on providing supportive care to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients who are scheduled for surgery and their families. The Breast Care Nurse Clinician’s (BCNC) role is to provide on-going counselling, support all aspects of breast care (psychosocial and physical), provide, clarify and reinforce information, provide continuity of care, and facilitate multi-disciplinary coordination or specialist referral throughout the breast cancer trajectory.
The various services provided by BCNC during the different treatment modalities are:
1. Surgery
- Pre-op counselling
- Surgery coordination
- Psychological support e.g. coping skills
- Post-operative care e.g. drain care, wound care, seroma aspiration
- Rehabilitation e.g. arm care and arm exercise, breast prosthesis fitting for patients who have undergone mastectomy.
2. Chemotherapy/Radiotherapy
(By referral from doctors/nurses if patient is not seen by BCNC before surgery)
- Pre-treatment counselling
- Symptom management
- Psychological support.
The BCNC’s role also encompasses providing patient education in:
- Breast Self Examination (BSE) for early detection of breast cancer
- Arm care and arm exercise for patients with lymphoedema (by referral from doctors/nurses).
Most hospitals in Singapore provide breast care service to their patients affected by breast cancer. Please speak with your doctor if you wish to be under the care of a Breast Care Nurse.
For more information on the Breast Care Nurse service, you can call the Cancer Helpline on telephone 6225 5655 or email cancerhelpline@nccs.com.sg. |
