Vesna Sustek

Provide in-home infusional therapy Entyvio (Vedolizumab) for Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Collect IV medication from pharmacy and deliver to the patient’s home. Setting up, accessing with intravenous cannula, conducting infusion and monitoring for adverse events during and post infusion. Completing post infusion paperwork within 24 hours of visit. Reporting of any adverse events as per program protocol. Provide education and training for patients requiring self administration with pre-filled medication pens. Maintain safe work practice and follow program policy, procedure and protocol.

Extensive knowledge in cytotoxic handling, administration, policies and procedures, treatment protocols for oncology, haematology and bone marrow transplant patients. Proactive with patient assessment, workup, detecting early signs of adverse reactions, critically thinking and problem solving to minimise risk of deterioration. Able to coordinate and perform septic workup within the required time frame, interpret blood results, medical imaging reports and communicate with medical staff. Highly skilled with intravenous cannulation, venipuncture and central venous access device which include PICC, Hickman, Apheresis, Port-a-catheter and Intraperitoneal port. Mentoring, educator, trainer and assessor for new staff including annual competency assessments. Provide ongoing in-services on various malignant diseases, treatments and devices. Maintain friendly and professional work ethics to uphold positive rapport with all hospital staff, patients and families.

Provide in-services, deliver training and education sessions whilst supporting clinic nurses and doctors on administering Monofer Ferric derisomaltose (IV Iron). Strong focus on the specific hypersensitivity reactions linked to Monofer and specific infusion requirements. Follow up with clinics post-training. Liaise with client sales representative managers and accounts. This role consisted of travelling within NSW attending public/private hospitals and medical centres.

Setup and coordinate new iron infusion clinic within medical centre including implementing consent forms, policy, procedures and guideline for administering iron. Liaising with team of doctors to provide a safe service for both centre and patients. Liaised directly with patients, checking blood results, consent forms, doctors orders including any contraindications. Assumed patient care from arrival to discharge, explaining procedure, gaining venous access with IVC, administering infusion, monitoring and managing adverse events with doctor onsite. Discharge instructions provided for post infusion expectations, side effects and symptoms which need prompt medical attention. All patients are discharged with my contact details for any concerns or advice.

First point of contact for melanoma patients requiring treatment, triaging referrals based on staging and symptoms. Provide support, education and advice on disease, diagnosis, treatment options and symptom management for both patient and family. Attend health assessment for patients with treatment side effects or concerns, the goal to prevent hospital admission by identifying and treating issues early. Administer and monitor patients on immunotherapy, targeted therapy and chemotherapy, provide advice on treatment and management of side effects including toxicity effects. Visit and followup melanoma inpatients, monitor progress and coordinate hospital discharge planning. Coordinate and attend weekly melanoma multidisciplinary team meetings followed by organising patient treatments and procedures. Assess venous access and arrange central venous access devices for patients with difficult access. Provide information and education on central venous access device, preparation for procedure and post insertion care. Liaising directly with consultants and multidisciplinary team.

Planning and coordination of haematology / oncology outpatient treatments and procedures. Coordinate and manage patient bookings system, prioritising urgent cases whilst maintaining safe nurse/patient ratio. Identifying potential problems and working with NUM to make improvements. Planning and coordination of bone marrow transplant treatments and procedures with transplant team. Manage and coordinate bone marrow transplant clinic. Prevent patients presenting to emergency department by accepting, coordinating and managing these patients within Day Suite. Planning and coordinating stem cell harvest and transplant procedures within Day Suite, this includes liaising with external trainers who are experts in apheresis equipment. Provide assistance to nursing staff by actively treating patients within Day Suite when nurse/patient ratio not ideal. Ensuring all staff are up to date with annual mandatory training and annual competency requirements/. Confident working independently and within a team, able to problem solve within a timely manner.

First point of contact for thoracic oncology patients, triaging new referrals and current patients based on symptoms and diagnosis. Arrange relevant tests, procedures, follow up results and problem solve issues. Manage early signs and symptoms preventing hospital admission. Provide advice and instructions to patients with new or ongoing symptoms which involved full assessment, critically thinking and determining the next step in maintaining patient safety. Coordinate multidisciplinary teams and attend weekly lung multidisciplinary team meetings. Attend inpatient ward rounds with consultant and coordinate discharge planning. Administer chemotherapy / immunotherapy to the oncology lung patients requiring urgent treatment.

• Emergency Department