Oak Ward
- Day unit
- Ten inpatient beds
- Clinic area consisting of two clinic / consulting rooms
- Blood laboratory to enable immediate processing of research samples
Oak Ward is used to conduct Phase I clinical trials. In these trials, drugs that are found to be active against cancer in the labs are tested in humans, usually for the first time. The opportunity to try experimental therapies is sometimes offered to patients who have no standard treatment options left.
The patients on Oak Ward are closely monitored:
- A number of trial-related assessments are performed, including a series of special blood tests that are processed by the nurses on the ward to determine more information about the drug. Being able to do all this in one unit speeds up the process of drug development, meaning that these treatment options will become accessible to more patients more quickly.
- The patients may have other needs in terms of symptom control and emotional and practical support at what can be an extremely difficult time for them.
The Oak Ward staff pride themselves in providing an holistic package of care for the patient during their time on the trial and afterwards.
Nursing on Oak Ward
Oak Ward is meeting the challenge of developing the nursing of Phase I trial patients into a sub-speciality of oncology nursing. The nurse on Oak Ward has a varied role comprising:
- trial drug administration and collection of trial-related assessments, in particular pharmacokinetic blood sampling
- attending to the needs of patients with advanced cancer (a third of the beds on Oak Ward are allocated for symptom control and the treatment of drug-related toxicities).
Oak Ward values education highly and there is a weekly teaching session as well as a weekly multidisciplinary journal club.
For more information
For information about nursing on Oak Ward please contact Michelle Wright, Sister on michelle.wright@rmh.nhs.uk.