Name: Sandra Wakelin
Location: Maidstone
Candidate Profile:-
I am interested in becoming a committee member as I have been a lung cancer nurse specialist since 2002 and have a wealth of patient experiences and knowledge to share within the lung cancer nursing community. During this time my role has changed dramatically as have the lung cancer treatments meaning that patients are often living longer with their cancer and require on going support. I work within a District General Hospital which is attached to the Kent Oncology Centre, so am fortunate in being able to see patients from pre-diagnosis throughout their cancer pathway.
I am committed to ensuring that lung cancer patients have the best possible care, symptom management, support and information required. My special interests include nurse led initiatives and I have developed and run two separate nurse led clinics: one following the MDT informing patients of their diagnosis and treatment plan and an oncology clinic reviewing patients on TKI's, chemotherapy and more recently immunotherapy treatment. I have developed an electronic nursing assessment tool for patients on immunotherapy and also TKI's so that I as well as other nurses within Kent are able to assess patients on these treatments safely.
I have completed my degree in Cancer Nursing, Clinical Skills and Consultation Module and became a Non-Medical Prescriber in 2011. I have enjoyed meeting and learning from other Lung Cancer CNS' that I have met at national meetings and if I am successful in becoming a committee member I look forward to this continuing. After several years in this field I would now like the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience of lung cancer from a national perspective.