As Clinical Nurse Consultants on the St George Hospital Peritonectomy Unit, we work closely with internationally-recognised surgical and medical oncologists to provide high-quality care to patients with peritoneal surface malignancies.
Our primary focus is to educate and support patients and their carers during the stressful period surrounding diagnosis, workup, selection and treatment. However we continue to offer support and assist with clinical inquires through all other stages of care, from the initial consultation, surgical workup, inpatient stay and post-discharge stage. This includes (but is not limited to) the following individualised information:
- Explanation of proposed treatment plan including Peritonectomy/cytoreductive surgery and Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) procedure +/- Early Postoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (EPIC), as well as potential post-operative complications
- Workup and assessment for surgical suitability including diagnostic tests e.g. scans and blood tests
- Pre- discharge detailed explanation of each patient’s operation procedure and its short or long-term implications
- Troubleshooting and management of symptoms at home
Another of our roles is patient advocacy. We aim to learn each individual patient’s requirements, ensuring the information provided is fully understood, thereby enabling you to give proper informed consent and proceed to peritonectomy surgery. The ultimate aim is to provide care that extends and improves quality of life and we readily liaise with all members of the Peritonectomy multi-disciplinary team to meet your needs.
As an experienced established centre we offer comprehensive educational and training programs to new staff and professional visitors.
