Nurse helps patients navigate stem cell transplant

Omayralis “Omayra” Cisneros started her career as a patient care technician and worked her way up as a nurse navigator.

By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Journalist, tfender1@iuhealth.org

At one time, Omayralis “Omayra” Cisneros thought she might want to be a teacher. After spending time as a cadet teacher for a fourth-grade class, she changed her mind. She spent time shadowing her sister-in-law who is a nurse, and that’s the path Cisneros took. She graduated from Lawrence North High School with an academic honor and an immersion diploma and received her nursing degree from the University of Indianapolis. Following is more about her career with IU Health:

How did you start your career with IU Health:
I started in December 2020 as a patient care technician on the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at University Hospital. I was in the supplemental role so I would often float to other units. By working in different units, I was able to get hands-on experience and help patients move around with multiple drains and IV pumps. You don’t see any of that in bone marrow transplant due to the risk of infection. I was grateful that I got to float to every unit in University Hospital. It made me a better caregiver. In March 2023 I decided to take the clinical nurse role in bone marrow transplant. Working on BMT gave me the opportunity to get certified to administer chemotherapy and continue training in ICU as a charge nurse. My manager also nominated me for the IU Health Emerging Leaders Program, which I completed in June.

What is your specific role now with IU Health:
In July I became the Bone Marrow Nurse Navigator. In that role I am responsible for educating patients when they are admitted and discharged. It’s a way of using my interest in education. I help them understand what to expect and what to look for during their treatment. When patients discharge, I educate them on what they are allowed to do after receiving a stem cell transplant. I also help coordinate the follow up appointments for patients who recently got transplanted because the providers like to monitor patients’ labs for a few weeks after transplant.

What is a typical day working in the bone marrow transplant unit:
I spend a lot of time going through emails, revieing patients’ lab, making note of critical labs and any major changes. When we have new admissions, I read notes from the patient’s social worker to see what their needs are, review their charts and round with their providers. During rounds I will listen for updates and make note of who may be preparing for discharge. After rounds I join the multi-disciplinary huddle for more updates.

Can you talk about a time when knew that you were in the right place with your career:
My first language was Spanish. I learned English in kindergarten. I once had a patient who was Hispanic and wasn't able to tell the team how they truly were doing because he did not speak English. Many nurses were having a difficult time caring for this patient. I was able to build a good relationship with this patient and express his needs to the providers. In that moment in time, I knew I chose the right career because I was happy to help a patient who was otherwise frustrated.

Personal: Cisneros married her high school sweetheart and is the mother to a 15-month-old girl. They also have a very energetic dog named, “Nala.”