Nurse colposcopist a rarity in New Zealand
TRUDY Galer has one of those jobs people enter medicine for — she can save lives.
Ms Galer has just qualified as just the fourth nurse colposcopist in New Zealand — a job in which she identifies cancercausing cell changes, and then treats patients.
‘‘It’s challenging but it’s really rewarding,’’ she said.
‘‘You get to meet the patient, assess the patient, formulate a plan, undertake the plan, and then follow up and discharge . . . you can pick up cervical cancer as a precancer, treat it, and almost eliminate their chances of getting a cancer.
‘‘You are preventing cancer in women who could otherwise go on and get cancer.’’
A colposcopist uses a colposcope to examine the cervix, vagina, and vulva. As well as assessing women with abnormal smears and symptoms, they can treat lesions under local anaesthesia and carry out followup treatments.
The role is common overseas, but rare in New Zealand.
Ms Galer — who has worked in the oncology department and also as a clinical nurse specialist in Women’s Health — trained under the supervision of University of Otago senior obstetrics and gynaecology lecturer Helen Paterson for a year.
Having an experienced mentor teaching her techniques normally performed by doctors was a privilege, Ms Galer — who performed more than 200 colposcopies as part of her training — said.
‘‘She was a fantastic teacher, very skilled,’’ Ms Galer said.
‘‘It’s not difficult but it was a bit frightening because you are undertaking a minor piece of surgery.
Before I treated anyone, Helen and I came in one evening with precooked sausages and I practised treatment on those.
‘‘I probably did about 30 treatments on sausages before I started on a human.’’
Ms Galer knew what she was getting into with her role: as lead colposcopy nurse for many years she knew the process well, and a visiting British specialist had encouraged her to undertake the training.
However, steering the machine herself was still a milestone.
‘‘It is a different perspective for a nurse and there is a stage of transition into that — I am going into a doctor orientated part of the profession — but so far so good, I have been welcomed with open arms.’’
Details of Ms Galer’s new role were still being finalised, but she was likely to hold three clinics a week, with six patients per clinic.
‘‘With each of those women I will also have an administrative session to go through their results.’’
There was also a possibility Ms Galer might take her new skills to the more remote areas of the SDHB region, but that is to be confirmed.
‘‘It is a sensitive area and everyone is different: you have to take the patient as you see them when they come through the door, but you very quickly work out what approach to take.’’