Victoria Mitchell, a research nurse in the Cancer Center at Springfield Memorial Hospital, is the nonprofit hospital’s Colleague of the Month for June.
As a research nurse, Mitchell works closely with oncologists to help patients get enrolled in clinical trials, and she follows them throughout the process to make sure everything is on track—from treatments to follow-ups.
She was nominated for the care she provided to support a patient who qualified for a clinical trial to treat squamous cell carcinoma but whose insurance didn’t cover cancer treatment. The patient wasn’t eligible for Medicaid either. Mitchell worked closely with financial services, physicians and other colleagues to find a path forward so the patient could receive treatment.
“Through it all, she stayed in close contact with the patient, offering support and keeping her updated, which meant a lot during such a difficult time,” wrote the nominator. “When it became clear that further delays could risk the patient’s health, Victoria pushed things into motion. She reached out to every person involved to make sure the treatment plan got moving—and thanks to her, the patient had start dates for both chemo and radiation within a week.”
Mitchell has worked for Springfield Memorial Hospital since 2019.