Research Focuses on Programs to Support, Empower Cancer Patients

Senior nursing major Morgan Levy spent her summer researching cancer survivorship programs and care plans through the College’s Summer Fellows Research Program. With new standards recently being released by the Commission of Cancer that recommends the implementation of Survivorship Care plans, Levy was looking into what has been working and what needs improvement for these plans to be successful.

She also created care plans for breast, prostate, and brain cancer, along with educational materials that can potentially be used in the future by patients within the Rochester Regional Health System.

As a nursing student, she has been taught to have a holistic approach to care and creating care plans. Levy decided to pursue this research because this care model is primarily nursing driven, and she has a passion for helping cancer patients. She is on  mission to help further the support available to patients after the completion of treatment.

“I find it imperative to continue to support this patient population because there are several lasting effects of cancer and treatment that continue years after treatment has concluded,” shared Levy.

Along with the research, Levy hoped to meet with an interdisciplinary oncology team at Rochester General Hospital and meet with treatment teams and patients within cancer centers. Unfortunately, much like many others, these in-person areas of Levy’s summer research had to be adjusted. While not in person, Levy still met with a clinical nurse specialist via Zoom, and attended the monthly oncology team meetings online. For her, she learned that there will always be roadblocks and challenges that arise while conducting research and it is important to just keep pushing through and not get discouraged.

This fall, Levy will continue her research as a nursing honors project. Once she becomes a nurse practitioner, she has interest in working with oncology patients. Beyond this, she can see herself continuing to research this topic when she pursues her doctorate degree in the future.

“If we figure out an efficient and effective way to implement these kinds of programs, cancer patients will feel supported and empowered even after they finish their treatment,” she said.