Animal Cancer Center Names Jocelyn Pronko, Former Senior Critical Care Nurse, to Newly Created Position of Oncology Clinical Coordinator

Friday, November 04, 2011

The Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University has created a new staff position, an oncology clinical coordinator, to serve as a liaison between ACC clients, clinicians and the many hospital departments and services involved in managing an oncology case.

Jocelyn Pronko, formerly a senior nurse in the critical care unit at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, has been named as the first oncology clinical coordinator and began her duties on October 10, 2011.

"This is a new position, one we feel is important to helping us provide the level of service we want our clients to experience at the Animal Cancer Center," said Dr. Sue Lana, Clinical Oncology Service Chief. "A hospital visit is an anxious time, especially when caring for a pet with cancer, and this is a big, complex hospital. We want our clients to have a good experience while here. From the time they schedule an appointment, to talking with the doctor, to meeting the student, throughout their pet's treatment, and then to the time they go home, we want them to feel taken care of, to have their concerns answered and their needs met."

The position was designed to integrate clinical acumen and experience, organizational and communication skills, and the ability to coordinate hospital resources, as well as community resources, to assist oncology clients and patients. Essentially, the oncology clinical coordinator is a problem-solver on behalf of both the client and the clinician.

Armed with a laptop and a Blackberry to allow for mobility, Pronko will be the single point of contact for clients who have questions and need extra assistance with details related to their hospital visit. Details such as rescheduling appointments, where to fax or e-mail critical patient records or lab reports, arranging appointments with other hospital specialists and services or connecting out of town clients with local community services such as nearby hotels, pet transportation services and services for clients with special needs. If she can't answer a question, she knows where to go for an answer.

She is also responsible for processing all inquiries made to the ACC consultation line, assessing and then disseminating inquiries to the appropriate clinician for response. The service is a free, donation supported outreach effort to help both pet owners and veterinarians with questions about cancer in pet animals, and every effort is made to respond within 48 hours. The service handles more than 2,500 inquires a year, both from within the United States and other countries around the world.*

"As much as I'll be working on behalf of the client, I'm also providing support to busy clinicians who need to focus on their patients' care and treatment," Pronko said. "I can make those calls to request appointments with other departments; check with the front desk to assure the paperwork is in order for discharge, or call anesthesia to get a service dog moved up in the schedule because they need to go home the same day. These problems are little for us, but could delay schedules and be big problems for our clients."

So, in addition to those already mentioned, what other skills are important to a professional in this position?

"I would say being able to maintain a high level of energy while keeping a cool head and functioning as a team member even when it may look like total chaos," Jocelyn Pronko responds. "I've learned to do that pretty well after almost 15 years in the emergency and critical care units of two busy veterinary teaching hospitals."

Pronko, who likes to be called "Jocey" (pronounced Jaw*see), spent nine years as a veterinary nurse in the emergency and critical care unit at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and prior to that, five years in the emergency and critical care unit at the Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in East Lansing, Michigan. Her nursing experience and communication skills made her ideal for the job. (See "Meet Jocey Pronko" Oncology Clinical Coordinator")

"In surveying our clients, we found that their views reinforced our own impression that we spend a lot of time coordinating things for our clients, which we feel is an important point of service" Dr. Lana explained. "Designating one individual whose job is to assure that our clients' questions are answered before they arrive, they receive assistance in planning their visit, and get where they need to go when they arrive is part of the high level of care we want to provide."

That high-quality care has always been a part of Jocey Pronko's mission as a veterinary nurse, and continues to be her focus as she moves into her new role at the Animal Cancer Center.

"In caring for the client, you are also caring for the patient," she explained. "That is what medicine is all about - helping and healing. That's why I chose this career and that's what I love about his job."

* If you would like to make a donation to support the Animal Cancer Center consultation service, please make a contribution to Carmen’s Fund. Learn more about Carmen's story.

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