In addition to her daily practice as a nurse practitioner at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY, ONS member Naomi Cazeau, RN, MSN, ANP-BC, AOCNP®, is using her leadership skills to make a difference in advocating for patients on a broader level. In October 2021, the Sepsis Alliance appointed her to its advisory board to help guide the organization’s mission of improving awareness and care.
Many patients with cancer are at increased risk for infection, which can then lead to sepsis, a life-threatening oncologic emergency. Cazeau, an oncology nurse since 2001, said she’s witnessed the “devastating impact of sepsis within an immunocompromised patient population” and plans to use her experience as an oncology nurse in her role on the advisory board.
Cazeau has published articles in journals like Blood and Seminars in Oncology Nursing. She also serves as a peer reviewer for the American Journal of Nursing and the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing (CJON), and is a member of CJON’s editorial board.
Every nurse, regardless of professional background and qualifications, is a leader. Through advocacy, oncology nurses can make a difference in community health. ONS’s Leadership Competencies and Board Leadership: Nurses in Governance course can help you excel in a leadership role and ultimately improve awareness, access, and care for all patients.