Gallagher on How Nurses Support Patient Goals After Initial Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer

"The day somebody is diagnosed with cancer of any sort is potentially one of the worst days of their life. I approach [the ensuing conversation by] being a person first and a clinician second. The art of conversation is wildly important at this stage, [as is] understanding the acute and immense grief and fear, anxiety, concurrent depression, and any other things that [patients] are bringing to this new diagnosis."

Dallas Gallagher, DNP, FNP-C, AOCNP, a pancreatic cancer nurse practitioner within the University of California Health System, shared her insights on the critical role of nursing staff and nurse practitioners in identifying and prioritizing patient goals following a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

Recognizing that the day a patient learns they have cancer is often one of the most traumatic experiences of their life, Gallagher emphasized that patients frequently struggle to process any clinical information beyond the word "cancer.” To address this, she advocates for a "person first and a clinician second" approach, where the primary objective is to hold space for the patient's immediate emotional needs.

In her role, Gallagher is frequently the person who first delivers the news of a pancreatic cancer diagnosis to patients. Accordingly, Gallagher feels that beyond the clinical delivery, nurses should provide essential reassurance and act as a primary navigator. This ensures that patients are connected with the correct multidisciplinary specialists to begin their treatment journey, she explained. Navigating one’s cancer journey is both highly logistical and deeply emotional, Gallagher emphasized. It involves understanding the "acute and immense grief" and any pre-existing conditions, such as depression, that may influence how a patient manages their care, she added.

A central component of this patient-centered care involves helping individuals navigate the complex trade-offs between treatment efficacy and quality of life in the broader gastrointestinal oncology landscape, Gallagher concluded.