The Unique Role of Lung Cancer Nurse Navigators in Elderly Lung Cancer Patients

Purpose of Review Lung cancer care in the elderly is complex for both providers and patients, but a lung nurse navigator can help bridge the gap between providers and patients. The purpose of this paper is to review recent publications on the role of the lung nurse navigator and identify their importance in patient care with an emphasis on their impact on the elderly. Recent Findings Nurse navigation programs vary greatly from institution to institution but are increasingly used in a variety of diseases and roles. Multiple recent studies have shown that nurse navigators lead to a significant improvement in screening rates, time to initial treatment, compliance with treatment, and patient satisfaction, as well as improvement in quality of life among vulnerable populations. Summary Despite the growth within the navigation field, research still continues to be limited with respect to lung nurse navigators’ contributions to patient outcomes and overall emotional well-being.