The Upstate Oncology nursing staff is committed to excellence in the delivery of holistic care to all cancer patients and their loved ones. They work to provide for the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of patients and their families. The focus is on relief for the symptoms of cancer and its treatment, as well as the comfort of patients. The staff is dedicated to promoting the patient's quality of life and acknowledging a patient's right to die with dignity.

Upstate Inpatient Oncology has two dedicated inpatient units (10E and 10H) with all private rooms. 10E is a 27 bed Oncology unit and 10H is the 6 bed Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. Each room has the ability to accommodate one significant other to stay overnight with the patient. The tenth floor also has a family room with shower accommodations for family members.

Oncology Nursing Staff

The Oncology nursing staff work to:

• Provide a compassionate environment for optimal physical and emotional comfort
• Achieve and maintain optimal lifestyle choices and options including nutritional habits, sleep and rest, coping, elimination, sexual and reproductive activities, comfort, and exercise and mobility
• Provide education to patients and their significant others about the disease, the chemotherapy treatment they will receive, the side effects and expected outcome
• Advocate for the right of patients to have information about their disease, prognosis, treatment, alternatives, and they actively support a patient's decision to accept or refuse treatment
• Provide continual support to patients and their families when their self-images, social roles, and functional abilities undergo change
• Provide consultations for other nurses, health professionals, and administrators to enhance the care given to cancer patients and their families. The nurses assist and support their health care colleagues in research efforts

Together with health care professionals from other disciplines, nurses support a climate of respect, support, education, communication and cooperation between the health care team, patients, and their significant others.