Nurse Navigator added to the Pasqua Hospital's Prostate Assessment Centre

The Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (RQHR) announced a new way to help ensure men who are battling prostate cancer receive the information they need.

The RQHR introduced a specially trained Nurse Navigator which will be able to provide information to men at anytime, as well as provide support for them and their families as they are being treated.

Mikki Robishau is the new Nurse Navigator at the Pasqua Hospital and will be working in the Prostate Assessment Centre, which was set up in 2009.

Robishau said one of the main things her job will offer is the ability for men to have their questions answered at anytime.

“I’m able to be able to sit down with patients and on their time, their questions I will be able to thoroughly answer their questions, get answers for their questions and it’s about continuity of care. To make sure that every patient is receiving the same information,” Robishau said.

The Nurse Navigator is another step the RQHR is making to help treat prostate cancer.

Dr. Edward Tse is an Urologist with the health region and said there has been a vast improvement in how fast people with prostate cancer can get treated.

“If you come to see me in the past it’s like at least a month,” Dr. Tse said.

“Now if you have a high PSA (Prostate-specific Antigen), you see me within two weeks.”

Steve Pillipow was diagnosed with prostate cancer 21 years ago.

“When I first heard the word cancer, I was devastated.”

Pillipow said having someone there to guide cancer patients through the process is essential because there are different types of treatments for prostate cancer.

“A person who is able too, in fact, take you through the system wherever you have to go and reassure you and council you and, in fact, be with you as a support is greatly appreciated and understood and it’s one that, I think, goes a long way in the whole process of your final conclusion of what you’re going to do.”

According to the RQHR, there was an estimated 690 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed last year.