WRITTEN BY JEN LYNDS
Kate Hutchins has served as a registered nurse at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center for 22 years, attending to the needs of thousands of patients in the Bangor hospital.
She moved throughout the facility, beginning in the Medical/Surgical Unit and culminating in the Emergency Department, where she spent most of her career. She was searching for the next challenge when a loved one confronted the battle of their life: cancer. Kate knew it was time for a change. She joined the team at Lafayette Family Cancer Institute in Brewer, and spent two years providing chemotherapy/immunotherapy treatment and in the triage role.
That family member’s “strength and resilience” became a “life-altering experience” for Hutchins.
“I just felt like I needed to honor [my loved one] by helping others who are going through a similar experience,” Hutchins said. “I wanted to make sure that everyone who had to go through this disease was cared for and guided during this difficult time in their life.”
This experience prompted Hutchins to become a nurse navigator for patients with head and neck cancer, a role she has held for the past two years. Oncology nurse navigators possess diverse skills in the cancer care field. Trained in specialized oncology knowledge to ease the complexities of the cancer journey for patients and their families, they offer support and help coordinate care. The Oncology Nurse Navigator Program at Northern Light Cancer Care was launched with the help of gifts from the community made through Northern Light Health Foundation.
Hutchins acknowledged that managing the healthcare system is daunting for patients. Nurse navigators try to simplify this path.
“We try to break down barriers, whether they are financial, logistical, or a combination of obstacles,” she explained. “We want to make it easier for the patient to get here and get their needs met.”
Easing the journey means ensuring patients receive timely appointments, are educated about their diagnosis and treatment, and have all necessary medical documents readied for specialist visits.
“Along with myself, we have a breast navigator, a lung navigator, and our survivorship navigator,” she said. “In total, four nurse navigators connect with the patient before they even get to the cancer center to [ensure] they receive the appropriate pre-visit testing/imaging prior to their new patient consult. Without having these results in place, our physicians could not complete a treatment plan.”
She noted that many patients being treated for head and neck cancer need dental clearance before they can receive radiation treatment, which is difficult to obtain if the patient does not already have a dentist.
“We collaborate closely with a few dental providers, who help us secure dental clearances,” she said. “I ensure that their imaging and correct biopsies are done before their consultation.”
Imaging was a barrier in the past, Hutchins noted. Patients need magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positive emission tomography (PET) scans, and other tests to determine the stages of cancer, and ascertain the effects of treatment.
Northern Light Cancer Care expanded access to PET/CT onsite in Brewer. Since opening appointments in October 2024, more than 340 patients have received a PET/CT scan within the mobile unit.
“Getting the mobile unit has been wonderful,” Hutchins said. “Accessing that machine in Brewer means getting our patients treated sooner.”
Hutchins said that all patients with cancer deserve a patient navigator.
Oncology nurse navigators provide tailored education about their disease, treatment options, and resources to help patients through treatment. Navigators help bridge communication between the patient and their healthcare team.
“This work gives us a more personal experience with the patient, improving the patient experience, helping with treatment compliance, and contributing to better health outcomes,” she said. “I get to share my knowledge with the patient and better serve them by providing the support they were seeking. That helps in healing. It works.”
