Anna Teresa Buono
Anna Buono is a valued member of the oncology team. She joined the oncology department in 2001, where she cared for inpatient hematology/oncology patients. As her experience grew, she became a charge nurse and a senior member of that team. In 2007, she moved to the outpatient chemotherapy infusion center. She was part of the original nursing team that grew from a few nurses working same-day appointments to 10 nurses at 2 nursing stations and a ‘drop-in’ clinic on a 2-day appointment schedule that improved patient flow and reduced pharmacology waste. In 2019, after 2 replacements for maternity leave, Anna was offered and accepted the position of Oncology Pivot nurse for breast cancer patients. It is the role she fulfills today.
Aside from her role as a pivot nurse, Anna is also involved with Hope and Cope. She has been a guest speaker for Hope and Cope, discussing topics related to cancer and survivorship. She also attended the Young Adult Retreat in 2018, where she discussed the problem of sex and sexuality in young adults with cancer. During COVID, many of Hope and Cope’s support groups were held on Zoom–type platforms, and Anna continued to be involved, especially with the ‘Newly diagnosed Breast cancer group’.
During COVID, Anna was also able to support the McGill nursing students with a preceptorship in the oncology department. She was able to demonstrate the importance of the interdisciplinary team, communication, patient advocacy, and strengths-based care in keeping with the McGill model. She instilled her love of oncology in her students and dismissed the fear and sadness many associate with oncology.