Full Name
Mrs Elizabeth Bettencourt OCN, RN
Job Title
Oral Oncolytic Nurse Navigator
Practice/Company Name
Sutter Health
Speaker Bio
Elizabeth Bettencourt MSN RN OCN
I graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 1986, became a licensed Registered Nurse in 1987 and worked for 3 years as a hospital staff nurse/AIDS RN Specialist on a medical AIDS unit. The next three years I worked at Caremark Home Infusion with a specialty in HIV/Cancer care. I have been OCN certified since 1997 and in 2014 obtained a Master of Science in Nursing with an emphasis in Education. I am an active member of ONS, am one of 2 champions for the ONS Oral Adherence Community, and participate in ONS projects related to oral oncolytics. I am also an active member of NCODA and one of the co-chairs of the NCODA Nursing Committee.
I have worked for the Oncology Department at Palo Alto Medical Foundation (part of Sutter Health) for 29 years. I have had many roles within the department including Infusion RN, Infusion Charge RN, and Oncology Nurse Navigator. For the last 12 years, I have been specialized as an Oral Oncolytics Nurse Navigator, working with all patients in the department on oral oncolytics. I have a developed a robust oral oncolytic program that has been expanded to other Sutter Health sites. The oral oncolytic program incorporates prescription processing and drug acquisition, collaboration with inhouse and off-site pharmacists, patient and staff education, and continued adherence/toxicity monitoring for all patients during their course of treatment.
On a personal note, my husband was diagnosed in 2006 with GIST. He was treated with several oral oncolytic medications during the last 1.5 years of his life. Our experience with the lack of support we received related to oral oncolytics had a great influence on me. I have since endeavored to ensure that all patients on oral oncolytics receive the same quality of care that patients who are treated with other types of chemotherapy receive. I strive to provide education to nurses about the intricacies of oral oncolytics to help them continue to provide quality care to their patients.
I graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 1986, became a licensed Registered Nurse in 1987 and worked for 3 years as a hospital staff nurse/AIDS RN Specialist on a medical AIDS unit. The next three years I worked at Caremark Home Infusion with a specialty in HIV/Cancer care. I have been OCN certified since 1997 and in 2014 obtained a Master of Science in Nursing with an emphasis in Education. I am an active member of ONS, am one of 2 champions for the ONS Oral Adherence Community, and participate in ONS projects related to oral oncolytics. I am also an active member of NCODA and one of the co-chairs of the NCODA Nursing Committee.
I have worked for the Oncology Department at Palo Alto Medical Foundation (part of Sutter Health) for 29 years. I have had many roles within the department including Infusion RN, Infusion Charge RN, and Oncology Nurse Navigator. For the last 12 years, I have been specialized as an Oral Oncolytics Nurse Navigator, working with all patients in the department on oral oncolytics. I have a developed a robust oral oncolytic program that has been expanded to other Sutter Health sites. The oral oncolytic program incorporates prescription processing and drug acquisition, collaboration with inhouse and off-site pharmacists, patient and staff education, and continued adherence/toxicity monitoring for all patients during their course of treatment.
On a personal note, my husband was diagnosed in 2006 with GIST. He was treated with several oral oncolytic medications during the last 1.5 years of his life. Our experience with the lack of support we received related to oral oncolytics had a great influence on me. I have since endeavored to ensure that all patients on oral oncolytics receive the same quality of care that patients who are treated with other types of chemotherapy receive. I strive to provide education to nurses about the intricacies of oral oncolytics to help them continue to provide quality care to their patients.
Speaking At
