Q&A with Breast Cancer Nurse Navigator Barbara Westlake, RN, MSN

The Nurse Navigator program matches breast care patients with our Nurse Navigator at Haywood Regional Medical Center. This means that patients coping with biopsy or a cancer diagnosis and treatment will have a unique, professional advocate on their healthcare team. Barbara Westlake, RN, MSN, is a recent addition to the Haywood Nurse Navigator team, but she has been an RN for 30 years, receiving her BSN in 2000 and her MSN in 2016. Much of her time was spent in a busy ER in Peoria, IL. In 2019, she moved to WNC to be closer to her family (and enjoy the mountains!). This year, she joined the Haywood family and has quickly caught up in care of our breast care patients. We recently did a Q&A with Barbara to introduce her and share a bit more about what Nurse Navigators do at Haywood Regional Medical Center.

Q: What is a Nurse Navigator?

A: A Nurse Navigator is a nurse that provides personalized care to patients who have just received a suspicious finding through some type of testing: for example, mammography, ultrasound, MRI, or a biopsy.  The Navigator will then follow that patient through their journey.  The Navigator is responsible for answering questions, scheduling additional views of mammograms, ordering ultrasounds, MRI, or biopsies to assist in getting a diagnosis of benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancerous).  The most important follow-up is the calls made to the patient during and after their testing while they are awaiting answers, being a resource for information regarding financial, social, and/or spiritual needs.

Q: What do you like best about your job?

The best part is being able to help people when they are most vulnerable.  Being able to provide individualized care and supply information regarding resources in the community i.e.: gas cards to get to them to appointments, addresses of food banks, church donations and giving them a prayer patch hand made by local women in the community and even going to their doctor appointments if needed. Additionally, they are provided the number of the nurse navigator who carries a phone 24 hrs. a day. 

Q: Why should folks prioritize annual mammograms?

A: One in eight women in the U.S. or about 13% will develop breast cancer over the course of their lifetime. In 2021 an estimated 281.550 new cases of breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed (BreastCancer.org). There will also be over 2,600 cases in men. In reviewing Nurse Navigator statistics at Haywood from January - March of 2020 we saw 17 new breast cancer patients, compared to this year in January - March 2021 when Haywood saw 29 new cases.

Q: Are mammograms difficult/how long does it take?

A: Mammograms are not difficult and involve compression/flattening of the breast for approximately 20 seconds while an x-ray is being taken. The entire examination takes only about 10 minutes but should allow time for changing clothes.  The importance of mammograms is early detection. Women/men who discover breast cancer and begin treatment before it has the chance to spread have a 99% survival rate (AmericanCancerSociety.org).

Q: What if your mammogram comes back abnormal results? What are the next steps the Nurse Navigator can do?

A: If your mammogram is abnormal the radiologist or your doctor will probably suggest an Ultrasound and then if that is still suspicious then the doctor will order a biopsy of the site.  At the point of the abnormal mammogram the patient is introduced to the nurse navigator and she will schedule the tests that are ordered.  At this point the Nurse Navigator will follow that patient till a definitive diagnosis has been obtained from the results of the biopsy.  If the biopsy is benign (no cancer), then navigation is over, if malignant (cancerous) then further navigation will continue with the patient on their journey.

We're here for you - including our Nurse Navigators - for the care you need. If you would like to schedule your yearly mammogram or take a health assessment on your risk, visit BreastCareToday.org/Haywood. If you’d like to be connected with a provider, call 800.424.3627.