• Providers who care for cancer survivors should become familiar with the employment rights that apply to survivors who want to work and make available information about employment rights and programs that provide counseling, legal services, and referral.

• Providers should routinely ask patients who are cancer survivors if they have physical or mental health problems that are affecting their work, with the goal of improving symptoms and referring patients for rehabilitative and other services.

• Employers should implement programs to assist cancer survivors. Examples include short- and long-term disability insurance, return to work programs, wellness programs, accommodation of special needs, and employee assistance programs.

• Cancer survivors should tell their physicians when health problems are affecting them at work. Survivors should educate themselves about their employment rights and contact support organizations for assistance and referrals when needed.

Workforce Education

NCCN Distress Management Clinical Practice Guidelines (NCCN, 2006)

Educational and training programs should be developed to ensure that health care professionals and pastoral caregivers have knowledge and skills in the assessment and management of distress.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Psychosocial Care of Adults with Cancer (National Breast Cancer Centre and National Cancer Control Initiative, 2003)

Clinic-based protocols should be developed to ensure that all staff working with patients with cancer have participated in relevant communication skills training.