Photo credit: Pro Image Photography/Ed Sozinho

Shawna Smith, ARNP

Spend a few minutes with Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center's Licensed Nurse Practitioner, Shawna Smith, and it becomes obvious why she is a trusted source of strength and skill to her patients.

"Treating the problem alone is not enough," says Smith, who joined the Center's integrated team in 2009. "How we administer treatment must work for our patients and their individual lifestyle, which involves understanding the whole person, not just the disease."

Building trust to understand the needs of each patient comes naturally to Smith, who grew up in Iowa. She recalls always being interested in the human side of illness. A graduate from Drake University, Smith has been practicing as an ARNP since 1999. She set her sights on Oncology early in her career. To gain a foundation of skills, Smith first practiced Internal Medicine for 5 years, then Sleep Medicine for 5 years before her move to SCTWC.

As a Nurse Practitioner, Smith works hand-in-hand with SCTWC's Medical Oncologists along the rest of the cancer care team. She enjoys using her communication and nurturing skills in a multitude of settings, and finds great reward in appreciating the smallest aspects of her patients' day to day experiences, all the way through to sharing major milestones of success.

Having full knowledge of underlying health issues allows Smith to provide care coordination services to patients at SCTWC, managing other chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease. "It's important to address overall health during cancer treatment so our patients can remain strong," explains Smith. "It's also important for us stay involved with our patients' additional health issues so we can ensure the safest, most effective, treatment options available."

Smith feels honored to work on a team of healthcare professionals that puts patient choice first. "Because of our patient-centered focus, we can rely on our expertise to come up with a care plan that truly honors their decisions," she says.