Congratulations, it is an Honor to Feature Jennifer R. Ward, NP-C
Team Lead, Advanced Practice Providers, Sentara Mid-Atlantic Cardiothoracic Surgeons; Thoracic Oncology Nurse Practitioner, Sentara Medical Group
While she never sets foot in an operating room, Jennifer Ward has created a unique and effective program for lung cancer patients within a surgical practice.
Ward, a Nurse Practitioner (NP) at Sentara Mid-Atlantic Cardiothoracic Surgeons for 10 years, provides both pre- and post-operative care and support for patients with early-stage and more advanced thoracic cancers.
As coordinator of a Lung Cancer Survivorship Clinic, Ward offers lifelong follow-up care: chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy as indicated; regular scans and tests for recurrent or new disease; preventive health guidance; and referrals for potential psychosocial challenges such as anxiety and depression or financial, employment or relationship challenges.
“This job has a very scientific side, of course, but that’s only part of it,” she says. “I need to explain technical and medical facts so patients understand, but I also listen to their hearts and learn the things that confuse or frighten them. Empathy is at my core.”
In addition to her strong background in oncology and palliative medicine, Ward has watched numerous family members battle cancer, including both of her parents, several grandparents and a close high school friend. Her mother died of lung cancer in 2017, in fact, when Ward learned first-hand the true power of meeting individual patients where they are.
“I approach them like they’re my family members,” she relates. “Caring for people with cancer is what I was meant to do. I’m my best self in this job.”
A New Jersey native, Ward was initially inspired by several nurses in her large extended family. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Rutgers University and also holds a Master of Science in Nursing from Duke University School of Nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from George Washington University School of Nursing.
During her 30-plus-year career, Ward has worked in inpatient oncology, interventional radiology, ambulatory infusion centers and a bone marrow transplant unit. She has frequently served in supervisory positions and on hospital and health system committees.
Ward was also in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps for 15 years, with time at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and Naval Medical Center San Diego and has taught on the Affiliate Faculty for Virginia Commonwealth School of Nursing since 2013.
Before joining Se0ntara Mid-Atlantic Cardiothoracic Surgeons, Ward spent two years with Sentara’s Palliative Care Specialists and as a weekend on-call Adult Nurse Practitioner with Long Term Care of Virginia.
At Sentara, Ward led the development of an Inpatient Palliative Care Program at Sentara Obici Hospital and guided families through end-of-life issues such as symptom management, advance care planning and psychosocial concerns. Today, she has mastered a new skill set to help more patients in survivorship mode after successful surgery.
“The struggles are still there, but they’re different,” she relates. “It’s not about how to wrap up a life, but how to balance feelings of joy and appreciation with the looming fear of, ‘What if the cancer comes back?’ It’s very rewarding to walk with people through that journey.”
Ward often refers her patients to social workers, counselors, nutritionists, physical therapists, acupuncturists and other specialists within Sentara’s integrative cancer program: “I’m grateful to know that if I can get them to the right place, they’ll get what they need.”
A rescue dog- and nature-lover outside work, Ward credits her surgeon partners for giving her the freedom to develop her survivorship clinic. She is also amazed at the rapid evolution of cancer care, such as the recent integration of new chemotherapy and immunotherapy medications with surgery in patients with later-stage disease.
“There’s just a lot of hope out there,” she says. “That’s been life-changing for me, too.”
