January Employee of the Month is inspired by her patients
Mung Chin is Boone Hospital Center’s Employee of the Month for January 2015. Click here to nominate someone for Employee of the Month.
When Mung Chin saw a job posting for an oncology staff nurse in late 2010, she thought “That might be something I like.” She applied, interviewed and joined Boone Hospital Center in January 2011.
Four years later, she says, “My intuition was right.” Mung has stayed with oncology and is now the nurse navigator for the Stewart Cancer Center. As a nurse navigator, she provides support for newly diagnosed cancer patients and their families, providing education, identifying possible barriers to treatment, and connecting patients with resources to remove those barriers. The ultimate goal is to help cancer patients complete treatment without becoming overwhelmed or getting lost in the system.
“I help navigate cancer patients through the health care labyrinth,” she explains. Mung enjoys being able to work with patients on a continual basis, before and after staying in the Stewart Cancer Center. “I definitely like the opportunity I have to work with patients and families after they leave the hospital. You get to see their whole lives. I feel like my role is well-rounded.”
Before coming to Boone Hospital Center, Mung had worked as a staff nurse on a medical surgery unit. She earned her associates degree in nursing at Columbia College in 2009, and later completed her bachelor’s in 2013. Prior to becoming a nurse, Mung had moved to Columbia from Singapore in 2004. She worked in customer service and enjoyed her job assisting people, but says, “I kept thinking ‘Something is missing.’ Being a nurse brings me a higher, more rewarding feeling. In the hospital, you may see someone at their worst, but you also see them at their best at the same time. You see their hope and their willingness to do whatever it takes not just for themselves but for their families. It’s very touching.”
In addition to being able to make a diference in the lives of patients and their families, Mung enjoys the teamwork and support she receives from her co-workers and medical staff in her role as nurse navigator.
“When someone is diagnosed and stressed out, you can’t expect them to wait two weeks for an appointment,” she says. “The collaboration I have with physicians and other hospital departments is great. I work closely with Nuclear Medicine, for example. If there are changes to a patient’s schedule, they always work with me. They’re so supportive.”
Mung also appreciates the support from hospital leadership in furthering her education as a nurse, both in completing her BSN and in learning on the job: “My position is our first nurse navigator role. There’s a lot to learn. But everyone I talk to and approach with questions has been very supportive and is willing to teach.”