[This information guide is also available in PDF for download.]

A breast care nurse (BCN) is a registered nurse who has specialised experience and knowledge in breast care nursing.

Breast care nurses are members of the multidisciplinary team caring for people with breast cancer. Other members of the team at the Westmead Breast Cancer Institute and its affiliated hospitals include surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, breast physicians, clinical geneticists, pathologists, radiologists, radiation therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dieticians, social workers and other specialised nurses.

Breast care nurses are available to give you and your family information and support before and after surgery and during your ongoing treatment for breast cancer. If you have any questions about your treatment, the plans for your hospital admission or about caring for yourself after surgery or during other treatments, you can call the breast care nurse for advice.

Role of a Breast Care Nurse

The role of a breast care nurse is to

Provide support, education and information to people with breast cancer, their family and those who care for them.
Provide high standards of treatment in breast care nursing.
Provide coordinated care, including information and referral to other support services and resources available in the hospital and community.
Inform people about research and clinical trials.
Provide leadership in the area of breast care nursing within the hospital and wider community.

A Breast Care Nurse is available to:

Answer your questions.
Explain your treatment.
Provide you information on treatment for breast cancer.
Explain what happens during your stay in hospital.
Visit you during your stay in hospital.
Provide emotional support.
Organise support for you when you leave hospital if needed.
Provide information on breast prostheses and breast reconstruction.
Help you look after your wound after your operation.
Refer you to other services if needed.
Act as a link with all members of the treatment team.
Coordinate your care from the time you are diagnosed with breast cancer, through your treatment and follow-up.

Contact

Westmead Breast Cancer Institute (BCI)	8890 8888
Crown Princess Mary Cancer Care Centre	8890 8530
Blacktown Cancer Care Centre	9881 8421
Nepean Cancer Care Centre	4734 3500
Westmead BCI Research & Clinical Trials Nurse	8890 8815	0417 864 100
Westmead BCI Support Group	8890 9682	bci-supportservicesinfo@health.nsw.gov.au
Westmead Physiotherapy / Occupational Therapy	9845 6500
Westmead Social Work Department	8890 6699
Aboriginal Liaison Officer	8890 6699 or 0400346112
Telephone and Interpreting Service (TIS National)	131 450
McGrath Foundation	8962 6100	www.mcgrathfoundation.com.au

Useful contacts/websites

Cancer Australia	canceraustralia.gov.au
Cancer Council	cancer.org.au
Cancer Council Helpline	13 11 20
Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA)	1800 500 258 bcna.org.au

Contact and Location of Breast Care Nurses

Available Monday to Friday, 8am – 4:30pm

Westmead Hospital*

Corner Darcy Road & Hawkesbury Rd, Westmead NSW 2145

02 8890 5656 (and leave a recorded message) or

0409 662 673 or

02 8890 5555 and ask for page 22641 or 27817

Alternatively, email the breast care nurses at

bci-breastcarenurses@health.nsw.gov.au

Auburn Hospital*

Norval Street, Auburn NSW 2144

02 8759 3504 (and leave a recorded message) or

0428 967 845 or

02 8759 3000 and ask for page 5745

Blacktown Hospital*

Blacktown Road, Blacktown NSW 2148

02 8670 5184 (and leave a recorded message) or

0427 851 829

Mt Druitt Hospital*

75 Railway Street, Mt Druitt NSW 2770

02 9881 1535 (and leave a recorded message) or

0427 851 829

Nepean Hospital*

Derby Street, Kingswood NSW 2340

Phone 02 4734 4439 (and leave a recorded message) or Mobile 0409 699 105 or 0436 397 684

02 4734 2000 and ask for page 26165

*If you are unable to contact a nurse at any of these hospitals, please call or email the BCN at Westmead.

[This information guide is also available in PDF for download.]

Version 5 – WSP 224 November 2020

Disclaimer

This site contains information, data, documents, policies, procedures, guidelines, images and general health promotion material pages prepared by Westmead Breast Cancer Institute ("the Information") for and on behalf of the Western Sydney Local Health District. Westmead Breast Cancer Institute wishes to make available the Information to better inform the community. The information is protected by copyright.

The information also includes information derived from various third parties ("the third party Information") which is neither endorsed or supported by Westmead Breast Cancer Institute, and/or Western Sydney Local Health District and/or State of New South Wales and does not necessarily reflect any policies, procedures, standards or guidelines of Westmead Breast Cancer Institute, Western Sydney Local Health District or the State of New South Wales.
Whilst the Information and the third party Information contained on this site have been presented with all due care, Westmead Breast Cancer Institute and/or Western Sydney Local Health District and/or the State of New South Wales do not warrant or represent that the information or the third party information are free from errors or omissions.

The information and the third party information are made available on the understanding that Westmead Breast Cancer Institute, and/or Western Sydney Local Health District and/or the State of NSW and their respective employees and agents shall have no liability (including liability by reason of negligence) to the users for any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred or arising by reason of any person using or relying on the information and/or the third party information and whether caused by reason of any error, negligent act, omission or misrepresentation in the information or the third party information or otherwise.

Further, whilst the information and the third party information are considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the information and the third party information. The information and the third party information may change without notice and Westmead Breast Cancer Institute and/or Western Sydney Local Health District and/or the State of NSW are not and will not be , in any way, liable for the accuracy of any information printed and stored or in any way interpreted and used by a user.
Westmead Breast Cancer Institute and/or Western Sydney Local Health District and/or the State of NSW take no responsibility for the accuracy, currency, reliability and correctness of the information and/or the third party information nor for the accuracy, currency, reliability and correctness of links or references to information sources (including Internet Sites) outside of this site. Links to other Internet Sites are not under the control of Westmead Breast Cancer Institute or Western Sydney Local Health District or State of New South Wales and are provided for information only.

Although care has been taken in providing these links as suitable reference sources, due to the changing nature of the Internet content, it is the responsibility of the users to make their own investigations, decisions, enquiries about the information retrieved from other Internet Sites. Provision of these links does not imply any endorsement, non-endorsement, support or commercial gain by either Westmead Breast Cancer Institute, Western Sydney Local Health District or the State of New South Wales.

Westmead Breast Cancer Institute, Australia

Breast Care Nurse