Giselle Melendez
Memorial Sloan Kettering, USA
Keynote: Clin Pediatr
At Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK), the pediatric oncology nursing experience begins when a parent enters our doors from around the world hoping to find a cure for their child�s cancer. The department of pediatrics consists of four major areas, where highly trained pediatric oncology nurses deliver care to our patients. The pediatric day hospital sees patients for clinic appointments, lab draws, chemotherapy treatments, bone marrow aspirates and lumbar punctures among other cancer treatments. Our bedside treatment nurses are involved with the infusion of 3F8 for neuroblastoma. This treatment was developed at MSK by a physician who treats patients with neuroblastoma. The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is a 5-bed unit that opened three years ago. Prior to the opening of the MSK PICU, patients requiring intensive care treatment were transferred to a different hospital. With the opening of the MSK PICU, our patients requiring intensive care remain under our roof. Nurses working in the MSK PICU are trained as critical care oncology nurses. One unique treatment these nurses administer/monitor in the MSK PICU is 8H9 used to treat patients with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). Nurses working in the inpatient pediatric unit have the opportunity to monitor patients who are receiving CAR-T to treat B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia relapsed disease. Our patients have the opportunity to come to a dedicated urgent care center for pediatrics whenever an emergency arises at home. One can find our pediatric nurses in all the places throughout a journey through Memorial Sloan Kettering. This presentation highlights the world of pediatric oncology nursing at MSK and three treatments that require unique pediatric oncology nursing care.
Giselle Melendez is a Nurse Leader at Memorial Sloan Kettering for the Inpatient Pediatric Unit, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and the Pediatric Urgent Care Center. She holds Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and Master of Science degree in Nursing Education at Molloy College. She received a Doctorate of Education in Nurse Executive and Leadership at Columbia University. Her expertise has been in Pediatrics for the past 13 years. She has been in Nursing Leadership for the past 8 years. She treats thousands of pediatric patients each year.
