Integrative Oncology Patient Navigator Training Program

 

          

 

Course Title: Integrative Oncology Patient Navigator Training Program

Program Description:

The innovative Integrative Oncology Patient Navigation Training Program will vastly expand your knowledge of complementary health therapies. It will enhance your skills to empower patients/clients in accessing integrative cancer care resources to support them with an individualized, holistic approach to healthcare.

Format:  Online, Self-Paced, On-Demand Professional Certificate Program

Time to Complete: Two (2) years upon initial enrollment*

*Learners will have two (2) years upon enrollment to access and complete the course content for the Certificate of Completion/CEUs at their own pace.  Modules and content will be released in sequence upon completion of each prior pre-requisite module and/or content.

Category: Professional and Continuing Education – Online Program

Location: Online

Level:  Advanced

Pre-Requisites:  Healthcare-related degree/training; Complementary and Integrative Health credential; Holistic Health certification/training

Estimated Time to Complete: 8-course modules with multiple lessons, activities, handouts, assessments, and experiential activities; approximately 45 hours total (self-paced, with two (2) years access to content)

Credential: Professional Certificate of Completion

CEUs/Contact Hours:  44 CEUs/Contact Hours (MUIH)

In order to successfully complete this course and earn a Certificate of Completion and CEUs/Contact Hours learners must complete all course Modules, successfully complete 7 module-based post-tests (participant must score 80% or higher), and complete and submit and evaluation form at the end of the course. 

 

Additional Continuing Education Approvals:

This nursing continuing professional development activity is approved for 44 contact hours by Maryland Nurses Association (MNA), an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

 

The Maryland Board of Social Work has approved this program for 41 Category II CEUs. This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by Maryland Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Approval for contact hours through the Maryland Nurses Association is based on an assessment of the educational merit of this program and does not constitute an endorsement of the use of any specific modality in the care of clients. In order to receive all contact hours for this course, learners must complete all 8 modules with an 80% score or better on each module post-test and complete the course evaluation. No contact hours will be awarded for partial course completion. No one with the ability to control the content of this activity has a relevant financial relationship to disclose except Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, presenter and content reviewer for this educational event, is on the speakers’ bureau for Gaia Herbs and NutraBiogenesis, as well as, a Principal Investigator on a research study funded by Pharmavite. All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated. Course access expires 12/31/2025. This course is being jointly provided by Smith Center for Healing and the Arts in partnership with the Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH). Smith Center is responsible for content development and MUIH is responsible for course administration including awarding contact hours to learners.

 

This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by the American Holistic Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Approval for contact hours through the American Holistic Nurses Association is based on an assessment of the educational merit of this program and does not constitute endorsement of the use of any specific modality in the care of clients. No one with the ability to control content of this activity has a relevant financial relationship to disclose except Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, presenter and content reviewer for this educational event, is on the speakers’ bureau for Gaia Herbs and NutraBiogenesis, as well as, a Principal Investigator on a research study funded by Pharmavite. All of the relevant financial relationships listed for this individual has been mitigated. Course access expires two years from the date of course registration. AHNA Contact Hours were approved on 05/10/2023. For AHNA Contact Hours, course must be completed by 05/10/2025. This course is being jointly provided by Smith Center for Healing and the Arts in partnership with the Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH). Smith Center is responsible for the content development and MUIH is responsible for course administration including awarding contact hours to learners. In order to successfully complete this course and earn a Certificate of Completion, you must: 1. Complete all course Modules; 2. Successful completion of 7 module-based post-tests (participant must score 80% or higher); 3. Completion/submission of evaluation form at the end of the course.

Others Pending:

The Oregon Board of Naturopathic Medicine (OBNM) has conditionally approved this program for 44 contact hours.

Disclaimer:

*Various other professional organizations and boards may accept this offering for continuing education requirements. Please verify with your respective relevant professional organization and email ce@muih.edu with questions.

Certificates of Completion, CEUs, and Contact Hours are awarded upon completing the course requirements successfully.

Program Overview:

Cancer can be a devastating illness that affects a person physically, mentally, and spiritually. While we have developed ground-breaking medical treatments, these do not often address the holistic needs of the patient. Complementary cancer therapies are widely used, but not always well-understood or researched by patients. Additionally, many patients and clinicians don’t know how these therapies can be integrated into conventional cancer care. 

The Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) Professional and Continuing Education (PCE) and Smith Center for Healing and the Art's innovative Integrative Oncology Patient Navigation Training Program will vastly expand one’s knowledge of complementary health therapies and enhance your skills to empower patients/clients in accessing integrative cancer care resources that support them with an individualized, holistic approach.

“Integrative oncology is a patient-centered, evidence-informed field of cancer care that utilizes mind and body practices, natural products, and/or lifestyle modifications from different traditions alongside conventional cancer treatments. Integrative oncology aims to optimize health, quality of life, and clinical outcomes across the cancer care continuum and to empower people to prevent cancer and become active participants before, during, and beyond cancer treatment.” ~ Society for Integrative Oncology

This comprehensive professional training program is designed for healthcare professionals and complementary and integrative health practitioners to learn how to successfully navigate cancer patients/clients through the challenges of cancer by using an integrative cancer care approach. This program provides in-depth education about integrative oncology and current complementary cancer therapies, how to review evidence for these therapies and their use, and the body mechanisms targeted by various integrative approaches.  Learners will identify resources to offer a deeper level of support and how to assist patients/clients in gaining access to these resources. They will hone skills for evaluating current evidence for complementary health approaches and educating their patients/clients on choosing appropriate integrative therapies to enhance their cancer care journey, in consultation with their healthcare team. To tie it all together, learners will discover how to effectively empower patients/clients in developing appropriate integrative care plans in collaboration with their healthcare team.

Learning Objectives:

As a result of this program, learners will be able to: 

·        Explain integrative cancer navigation and the role of integrative navigators during each phase of the cancer experience.

·        Examine the concepts of the hallmarks of cancer, body terrain, and tumor microenvironment and how an integrative care approach can manipulate them to cancer’s disadvantage.

·        Contrast an integrative cancer care approach with conventional, complementary, and alternative healthcare approaches.

·        Examine the major categories of complementary therapies in cancer care and their application.

·        Examine the use and safety of natural products, herbal supplements, and Off-Label Drugs applied in cancer care.

·        Investigate the major categories of complementary health therapies within the context of integrative cancer care.

·        Describe examples of evidence-based/informed complementary therapies within each category.

·        Assess patient/client barriers to accessing integrative cancer care.

·        Coach a patient/client in creating a sample integrative oncology navigation plan with a patient/client in partnership with their healthcare team.

·        Reflect on self-care needs as a practitioner, implement a simple self-care practice, and evaluate the experience to provide a superior quality of whole-person care to patients/clients throughout the cancer experience.

Program Outcomes:

·        Upon increasing knowledge about integrative cancer care, learners can inform patients/clients of a wider range of complementary therapy and care options.

·        Learners will be able to offer a deeper level of support by identifying physical, emotional, and spiritual resources and assisting patients/clients in gaining access to these resources. 

·        Learners working in clinical healthcare settings will be able to complement options offered by conventional oncology with additional resources to address the unique healing needs of their patients with an integrative approach to healthcare, according to the guidelines of their professional scope of practice. 

Program Outline:

·        Module 1: The Landscape of Integrative Cancer Care and Integrative Navigation

·        Module 2: Introduction to Evidence-based/informed Complementary Therapies in Cancer Care

·        Module 3: Hallmarks of Cancer/Tumor Microenvironment/Body Terrain

·        Module 4: Deep Dive into Selected Complementary Therapies and 7 Healing Practices

·        Module 5: Deep Dive into Natural Products and Off-Label Drugs (OLD)

·        Module 6: Creating Integrative Navigation Care Plans with Your Patients/Clients

·        Module 7: Navigating Professional Stress and Developing Sustainable Self-Care Practices

·        Module 8: Course Wrap-up and the Path Forward as a Trained Integrative Patient Navigator

Detailed Program Outline:

Module 1: The Landscape of Integrative Cancer Care and Integrative Navigation

Description: Module 1 of the Integrative Oncology Patient Navigator Training introduces integrative cancer care and a brief history of patient navigation. The presenters will describe the role of the integrative patient navigator across the cancer continuum and will demonstrate a practical example of a client-practitioner encounter in a case study exercise. Learners will gain a foundation of the expanding importance and application of integrative cancer care as a whole-person approach to healthcare to further enhance their clinical practice.

Learning Objectives:

• -       Explain integrative cancer care.
• -       Interpret cancer statistics, odds, and prognoses.
• -       Compare an integrative cancer care approach with conventional, complementary, and alternative care approaches.
• -       Explain integrative oncology navigation and the role of navigators within an integrative oncology healthcare team.
• -       Compare the types of oncology navigators.
• -       Describe settings where integrative oncology navigators practice.
• -       Convey guidelines for scope of practice to clearly communicate the distinctions between navigation and coaching and other healthcare professions.
• -       Identify when to refer a patient/client to another support professional as needed, knowing when this is needed and the available resources.
• -       Explain the role of the integrative oncology navigator in different phases of the cancer experience.

Module 2: Introduction to Evidence-based/informed Complementary Therapies in Cancer Care

Description: Module 2 of the Integrative Oncology Patient Navigator Training will cover the primary categories of complementary therapies and the traditional medicine systems with specific complementary therapies under each. The presenters will review the basic categories of complementary cancer therapy effects including anti-cancer and treatment benefits, general wellness, quality of life, symptom management, primary or secondary cancer risk reduction, and terrain optimization. We will also discuss models for evaluating the evidence of the safety and effectiveness of complementary therapies and lifestyle practices. Learners will gain a broader perspective of complementary cancer therapies and learn how to potentially improve their patient/client’s physiological and healing responses to their cancer treatments and lifestyle practices.

Learning Objectives:

• -       Investigate the major categories of complementary therapies/traditional medicine systems.
• -       Review models for evaluating the evidence for complementary health approaches and practices.

Module 3: Hallmarks of Cancer/Tumor Microenvironment/Body Terrain

Description: Module 3 of the Integrative Oncology Patient Navigator Training will define and introduce the learner to the 11 hallmarks of cancer, the tumor microenvironment, and body terrain. The presenters will discuss a framework for targeting and influencing these areas using complementary cancer therapies. Learners will understand how cancer behaves and how it co-opts the non-malignant cells around it to help it grow and spread, as well as how to teach patients/clients how to optimize body terrain to make the body less hospitable to cancer.

Learning Objectives:

• -       Examine the concepts of the hallmarks of cancer, body terrain, and tumor microenvironment.
• -       Explain how an integrative care approach can manipulate the tumor microenvironment and body terrain to cancer’s disadvantage.
• -       Apply the hallmarks of cancer concepts in educating patients/clients on the importance of optimizing their body terrain for integrative cancer therapy.

Module 4: Deep Dive into Selected Complementary Therapies and 7 Healing Practices

Description: Module 4 of the Integrative Oncology Patient Navigator Training will cover selected evidence-based/informed complementary therapies and 7 healing practices used in integrative cancer care. The presenters will review known or proposed mechanisms and effects for each complementary therapy and healing practice, including the impacts on the 11 hallmarks of cancer, the tumor microenvironment, and body terrain. For each area, learners will explore the evidence of effectiveness and efficacy in cancer care, cautions for use, and how each can be applied safely in practice with patients/clients.

Learning Objectives:

• -       Demonstrate how to use evidential criteria for evaluating healing practices and complementary health therapies.
• -       Analyze examples of evidence-based/informed healing practices and complementary health therapies within each category based on selected criteria.
• -       Evaluate the safety and efficacy of evidence-based/informed healing practices and complementary health practices.
• -       Identify how evidence-based/informed healing practices and complementary health therapies can be applied within an integrative oncology context.

Module 5: Deep Dive into Natural Products and Off-Label Drugs (OLD)

Description: Module 5 of the Integrative Oncology Patient Navigator Training will teach how to find evidence-based/informed information about specific natural products and Off-Label Drugs (OLDs) commonly sought by patients/clients for use in cancer. Learners will understand how best to navigate patients/clients to help them make informed decisions about using natural products and Off Label Drugs in cancer care.

Learning Objectives:

• -       Examine the basic uses of natural products and off-label drugs in cancer care.
• -       Determine how to use evidential criteria for evaluating natural products.  
• -       Analyze examples of evidence-based/informed natural products based on selected criteria.

Module 6: Creating Integrative Navigation Care Plans with Your Patients/Clients

Description: Module 6 of the Integrative Oncology Patient Navigator Training will explore how to find and assess complementary and integrative therapies, practitioners, and resources in the Navigator’s community and beyond. The presenters will discuss considerations for helping to coach patients/clients through the process of change, the importance of meeting the patient/client where they are to pursue positive health-related behaviors and ways to address barriers to accessing integrative cancer care. Learners will explore how to work collaboratively with the patient/client and their conventional care team to create an individualized integrative cancer care plan.

Learning Objectives:

• -       Explain the navigator's role as a coach, guide, and position within an integrative cancer care team.
• -       Determine how to research and assess credible complementary and integrative health providers.
• -       Describe how to identify trustworthy sources of oncology-related health information.
• -       Discover how to support patients/clients in educating themselves about complementary health therapies and assessing credible complementary health providers.
• -       Recognize situations for referring to other healthcare professionals and complementary health practitioners in specialty areas, as appropriate for the patient/client needs.
• -       Explain common barriers to accessing integrative cancer care.
• -       Evaluate a patient’s/client’s ability to access integrative cancer care and potential solutions for getting around each barrier a patient/client may explore with the support of the navigator.
• -       Identify strategies for coaching patients/clients through the behavior change process and their utilization of goal-setting strategies to adopt healthy behaviors to aid their cancer journey.
• -       Recognize the principles of Healing Presence within the navigator-patient/client relationship to create a safe, supportive environment that produces ongoing mutual respect and trust.
• -       Create a sample integrative oncology navigation plan based on a real-world case study to understand how to adapt to an individual’s unique circumstances and work collaboratively with a patient/client and healthcare team.

Module 7: Navigating Professional Stress and Developing Sustainable Self-Care Practices

Description: Module 7 of the Integrative Oncology Patient Navigator Training will discuss the importance of developing a Navigator self-care practice. The presenters will review the potential challenges of oncology work, including stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue. Learners will create a personal self-care practice and take steps to implement and sustain this practice for their own health and well-being.

Learning Objectives:

• -       Recognize the impacts of stress in the healthcare profession and evaluate the importance of self-care in reducing stress.
• -       Reflect on self-care needs as a practitioner.
• -       Implement a simple self-care practice.
• -       Evaluate the experience of the simple self-care practice.

Module 8: Course Wrap-up and the Path Forward as a Trained Integrative Patient Navigator

Description: Module 8 of the Integrative Oncology Patient Navigator Training will provide a recap of the key components of the course and will help learners to take the next steps in their professional journey as trained Integrative Oncology Patient Navigators.

Who should participate:

Primary Healthcare Audiences:

Oncology Nurses, Oncology Social Workers/Counselors, Integrative Nurses, Holistic Nurses, Health and Wellness Coaches, and other professionals currently serving as healthcare navigators

Integrative Health Professionals (including, but not limited to):  Nutritionists & Dieticians, NDs, Functional Medicine practitioners, Health & Wellness Coaches, Health Educators, Ayurvedic practitioners, Acupuncturists, Herbalists, Yoga Therapists, Yoga Teachers, Qigong or Movement professionals, Mind-Body Therapists/Practitioners, etc.

Mental Health Professionals working with oncology patients/clients

Integrative Physicians, Oncology Physicians, Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants, Medical Assistants, Physical Therapists, and Other Oncology Health Professionals

Secondary Audiences:

Oncology Patients/Survivors/Caregivers. Training in basic oncology navigation and/or 2 years of experience in oncology navigation is strongly advised and preferred to enroll in this program.

Pre-Requisites and Required Experience:  Preferred: Completion of basic oncology navigation or health coaching training (to learn communication skills, oncology 101, etc.) or a professional oncology navigator with at least 2 years experience in oncology navigation. Recommended: Or at least two years of experience working with oncology patients/clients in a professional or advocate role.

Program Tuition & Registration Fees: 

$750 Standard Registration*

$600 (20% Discount) - MUIH Community – MUIH Alumni, Student, Faculty, and Staff Registration**

$600 (20% Discount) - Smith Center for Healing and the Arts Registration^

*Payment Options:  3-month Payment Plans available upon request to ce@muih.edu 

*Group discounts for 5 or more enrollments are available upon request to ce@muih.edu

**MUIH Community: Email ce@muih.edu with MUIH Affiliation and request for discount promo code.

^Smith Center Community: Email navigation@smithcenter.org with Smith Center Affiliation and request for discount promo code.

 

Additional Required Course Materials Purchase:  None (all included within the online classroom)

What you will get:

·        8 comprehensive course modules of video lessons and written educational content developed by a team of subject matter experts

·       Extensive course resources: all presentation slide PDFs, numerous professional PDF course handouts and workbooks, bonus experiential demonstration videos, and more

·        Professional Certificate of Completion awarded by an accredited integrative health university, training digital badge & CEUs (upon successful achievement of lesson content and required program assessments)

*Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and Contact Hours are awarded by MUIH.  CEUs and Contact Hours for specific professions should be verified with the individual professional organization(s) for which you seek continuing education credit. Refer to the IOPNT Program CEU and Contact Hour information for additional details.

Developer Bios:

Laura Pole, RN:  Baccalaureate and Master’s in Nursing; Licensed as an Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist; certified as a health-supportive chef.  Director of Nourishment Education Programs and Co-Developer and Co-Leader of Integrative Cancer Care Navigation Training.

Carole O’Toole, MS: Masters in Medical Anthropology/Health Policy. Consultant, Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. Member, Society of Integrative Oncology, Association of Oncology Nurse and Patient Navigators, Global Network for Spirituality and Health, Spiritual Care Association. Co-Developer and Co-Leader of Integrative Cancer Care Navigation Training.

Erin Price, MSW, LICSW, OSW-C: Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Masters in Social Work. Director, Young Adult & Psychosocial Support Programs, Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. Graduate of Project LEAD, National Breast Cancer Coalition. Integrative Oncology Special Interest Group Leader & Member, Association of Oncology Social Work. State Leader & RISE Advocate, Young Survival Coalition. Member, Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work and Georgetown Breast Cancer Advocates.

Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO: Naturopathic doctor with board certification in naturopathic oncology; independent consultant in practitioner and consumer health education. Executive Director of TAP Integrative, a nonprofit educational resource for integrative practitioners. Co-author of The Definitive Guide to Cancer and The Definitive Guide to Thriving After Cancer; Co-host of the radio show, Five To Thrive Live! on the Cancer Support Network. Past president, Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians.

Nancy Hepp, MS: Masters in instructional design and graduate work in research and cognitive psychology. Program Manager and Lead Researcher, CancerChoices.

Beth Romanski, MS, INHC: Beth Romanski is a seasoned higher education professional, currently serving in the role of Director of Professional and Continuing Education (PCE), an adjunct faculty member at the Maryland University of Integrative Health, a leading academic institution solely dedicated to integrative health programs.  Beth holds a master’s degree in Higher Education, a Quality Matters Certificate in Instructional Design, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in Workplace Wellness from the Maryland University of Health in addition to various integrative health professional training.  Beth is a passionate lifelong learner and health educator and serves in various leadership positions for professional continuing education associations and is an active member of the National Wellness Institute (NWI) Emerging Wellness Professionals (EWF) Task Force, Integrative Medicine for the Underserved (IM4US) Education & Research Committee and the American Institute of Stress (AIS). Beth also holds a certification as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and is the founder of MyHealthyTransitions Health Coaching and is Co-Host of the Wellness Warriors Radio podcast.  In her practice, she takes an educational and empowering approach to facilitate positive habits that support holistic wellbeing and sustainable results, with the mindset that “being healthy doesn’t have to be hard.”

Disclosure Statement: The presenters have no conflict of interest in developing or presenting this content. The following non-profit foundations have supported the program development, and there is no commercial support or conflict of interest within the educational content.

With special appreciation to our Program sponsors:

Scheidel Foundation

https://scheidelfoundation.org/

Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation

https://macyfoundation.org/

Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation

https://www.cafritzfoundation.org/

Program Partners:

CancerChoices

www.Cancerchoices.org 

Additional Details:

Eligible Discounts: MUIH Students, MUIH Faculty/Staff, MUIH Alumni, and PCE Preferred Partners are eligible for tuition discounts on this offering.  Please contact ce@muih.edu to verify your MUIH affiliation and to request a Promo Code to use upon enrollment checkout. Only one promotion code/discount may be used on this program at one time.

Registration* & Online Technical Support: For course registration and online learning technical support, please contact Canvas Support at 1-844-414-5052 or support@instructure.com (24/7) or MUIH Online Support at online@muih.edu (during regular business hours M-F).  

View our helpful video tutorial for Catalog registrations and payments, and Canvas, your online learning platform.

*For indefinite access to your MUIH PCE Catalog Student Dashboard & PCE Online Course Platform, Canvas, it is required that you register for a new PCE Catalog Learner account with a non-MUIH email address and email you access frequently.

Program Access:  Learners will have two (2) years upon enrollment to access and complete the course content for the Certificate of Completion/CEUs at their own pace.  Modules and content will be released in sequence upon completion of each prior pre-requisite module and/or content.  After 2 years have passed, learners will no longer have access to the online course but may re-enroll at a 50% discount.  Contact the Office of Professional and Continuing Education at ce@muih.edu with any questions.

Refund Policy Terms:  Refund Policy Terms:  The Course/Program is 100% refundable within 24 hours of enrollment; 50% within 7 days of enrollment; no refunds after 7 days. All refunds must be requested in writing to the Office of Professional and Continuing Education at ce@muih.edu.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and Contact Hours: In addition to MUIH CEUs awarded per the MUIH CEU Philosophy and institutional standards, various other professional organizations and boards may accept this offering for continuing education requirements. Please verify eligibility with your respective relevant professional organization and email ce@muih.edu with questions.

Refer to detailed CEU and Contact Hour information on CEU and Contact Hour eligibility and approvals in the IOPNT Program CEU and Contact Hour Section.

General Inquiries: For all other questions about this program, contact the MUIH Office of Professional and Continuing Education (PCE) at ce@muih.edu.