Why Oncology Nurses Are Adored By All

Dioanne, or “Jojo,” as she is known throughout the department of dermatology here at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), came to our team about two years ago and has been loved and cherished ever since. She is 110% dedicated to the care of our patients and goes above and beyond to make sure all have the appropriate wound-care supplies, medications, and appointments.

Jojo spends countless hours doing things that are not in her job description, such as calling insurance companies to make sure there are no discrepancies or interruptions in patient care. She is a storehouse of wisdom and knowledge; with her background in acute urgent care, she was the perfect addition to Dr. Alina Markova’s team.

She is easily one of the hardest-working and sweetest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Our patients absolutely adore her, to the point where some actually refuse to speak to any other nurses if she is not available. And whenever she’s not here, the impact is definitely felt throughout the clinic.

Although Jojo holds the title of being Dr. Markova’s primary nurse, she never hesitates to extend herself where needed throughout the department. Often during her administrative days, I get a call or email from her telling me that a doctor has pulled her into another clinic or that a patient wanted to see her on a different floor. She is in such high demand here that sometimes she has to try to hide out from the other medical doctors so she can get her administrative work done.

Over the past two years, Jojo has become not only one of my favorite nurses but also an amazing friend and confidant. She has made my time working here at MSK so amazing with her high energy and “I’ll get it done” attitude. I truly cannot think of anyone more deserving of recognition.

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