The CATCH: In Support of Lifesaving Care

Austin Cecil, RN, ONN-CG, OCN

Thanks to her keen assessment skills and quick-acting patient advocacy, Austin helped save a patient’s life.

—Amy Meleason, Navigation Director

A CATCH is a navigation success story where a navigation tactic improved a patient’s situation. The CATCH Initiative, short for Catching & Addressing Threats to Care & Health, tracks and acknowledges positive outcomes of navigation tactics.

THE CATCH OF THE MONTH

Background: The oncology breast nurse navigator received a frantic call from a patient who was postop regarding new symptoms that ultimately turned out to be life-threatening.

The Incident: Austin, the nurse navigator, received a call from a breast cancer patient who had just had a breast lumpectomy done the day before. The patient expressed concern after she leaned over at home and immediately noticed breast swelling, hardness, and increased pain.

The CATCH (Intervention): Utilizing her assessment skills and clinical knowledge, the nurse navigator informed the surgeon of the concerning new symptoms and requested the surgeon contact the patient immediately. While the provider was on the phone with the patient, she started actively bleeding and was instructed to go to the emergency department. The patient was transferred to the hospital for a hematoma removal and while in surgery was ultimately found to have an active arterial bleed.

The Importance of the CATCH

This nurse navigator relied on her assessment skills and training to refer the issue to the right provider at the right time, preventing life-threatening complications. This CATCH also highlights the importance of multidisciplinary communication and the need for building trust among healthcare professionals.

Navigators play a pivotal role in connecting the dots of a patient’s care journey, ensuring all disciplines communicate and are on the same page. It is crucial that navigators build trusting relationships not only with their patients but also with the healthcare providers they work with to establish continuity of care.

Due to the navigator’s rapport with the surgeon, as well as the surgeon’s trust in the navigator’s expertise and skillset, the patient was able to receive expedited treatment, coordinated care, and a positive outcome.

Tell us about the navigation tactics that improve the lives of your patients!