Colorectal Navigator
Bio
My name is Kayleigh Mueller, I am the colorectal navigator for Leighton hospital.
Before I became a colorectal navigator I worked in endoscopy. I worked there for three years and thoroughly enjoyed the team I worked with. I learned many skills. I would assist consultants with colonoscopies, flexible sigmoidoscopies, gastroscopies, flexible cystoscopies, bronchoscopies and ERCP’S. So a vast array of different procedures.
When I first came into the trust I started as a healthcare assistant and I worked on the bank, which meant I could work on any ward. I wanted to see which wards did what and get a feel for a speciality I would like to do. The problem was I liked doing everything as I like to keep learning lots of skills. I then took a small break and tried my hand at admin while I recovered from a small back injury. Which again I loved and learnt more new skills and a different side of the hospital. It just goes to show that the hospital really would not function without the admin team.
I then got the fantastic opportunity to join ward 12. The women’s surgical and Gynae ward. This was a true eye opener, a wide range of skills needed and a fast paced ward. Many ladies coming through having many different operations including lots of bowel operations. Which I would be able to remember for my current job now. In fact all my skills I have learnt over the past seven years at Leighton hospital I have been able to use in this role as colorectal navigator.
Responsibilities
My role is to look after patients once they have been to the GP about their bowel concerns. Once the referral comes in, I take it to the consultants and we triage it, a decision is made then whether the patient needs an outpatient appointment or can go straight for a diagnostic testing. This can be a Colonoscopy or a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy and special CT scan that specifically looks at the bowel.
I also explain these procedures in detail and the preparations needed for them to patients. As the bowel needs to be clear for these procedures, a bowel prep is needed to be taken which can be hard going so I am here to support patients and get them through this. Patients having CT scans need specific blood tests done for these tests therefore I can make sure along with the radiology team that they are done.
After a patient has had their investigations then I liaise with the appointments team to get patients booked onto follow up appointments if needed. Sometimes the consultants write to the patients if all is reassuring.
I am here throughout the whole process to talk to patients, reassure and help with the anxiety and stress that can come with having all these appointments and investigations. Patients that have never had these investigations before can be very fearful of not knowing what to expect and can sometimes feel they cannot go through with them. That is where I can offer support and guidance and because I myself have Endoscopy experience I can talk a patient through from start to finish.
