Discussions with two nurses from the ENT oncology unit

Conversations with two nurses from the ENT oncology unit

“A profession and a department you don’t choose by chance”

To mark International Nurses Day, Mélina Denos and Nathalie Jezowski, nurses in the ENT oncology medical and surgical units, share their thoughts on a daily routine shaped by patient care and interactions with patients.

Both discovered ENT oncology during clinical rotations at Gustave Roussy while pursuing their nursing degrees. While Nathalie Jezowski first worked for 14 years as a nursing assistant before becoming a nurse at Gustave Roussy five years ago, Mélina Denos completed her studies a little over 10 years ago and joined the Institute three years later. They are now considered “veterans” in this department they love.

A “rich and interesting” specialty

Both nurses, like their ENT colleagues, often care for patients whose appearance has been “transformed” and who suffer from severe aftereffects. “With ENT cancer, many parts of the face are affected, and these cannot be hidden. It’s their self-image—even their identity—that’s at stake,” explains Mélina Denos. In addition to various technical procedures—such as changing complex dressings, replacing cannulas, inserting nasogastric tubes, administering chemotherapy, venous access management—all of which require a wide range of skills—the team sets aside time for “patient education,” particularly preoperatively before certain specific procedures, though not exclusively, as this education continues throughout the hospital stay.

Nathalie Jezowski and Mélina Denos also work in collaboration with the physician and nurse specializing in addiction medicine to manage alcohol or tobacco withdrawal, with speech-language pathologists for voice rehabilitation, among other things, and with dietitians to monitor diet and caloric intake. “Whether from a technical or human perspective, our profession is very comprehensive and formative, because we are versatile,” comments Nathalie Jezowski. Both build a climate of trust with their patients, whom they readily describe as “endearing.”

Team Cohesion and Mutual Support

Accustomed to working with patients who may have lost the use of their voices, the nurses on the unit communicate using markers and chalkboards, lip-reading, and other methods…Nathalie Jezowski, who worked for nearly 15 years with deaf and mute individuals, is fluent in sign language, which can be an additional help in certain care situations.

Even though the days remain busy and always lively, mutual support prevails in a very close-knit department. “I’m passionate about this work,” says Mélina Denos, who, like her colleague, appreciates the “great team cohesion and this desire to be together.” Daily life for ENT patients is difficult, but both women, who have strong interpersonal skills, enjoy “giving them hope.” “I tell them that the journey is difficult at first, but that they have to hang in there because it’s worth it,” says Nathalie Jezowski.

Far from the common misconceptions about this multidisciplinary department—which they didn’t choose “by chance”—Mélina Denos and Nathalie Jezowski have a single message they want to share in unison: “Spread the word about ENT and come spend a day with us, getting a taste of this exciting profession!”