Porter Regional Hospital Social Worker Receives Oncology Certification

Antoinette-CardenasAntoinette Cardenas, MSW, LSW, OSW-C, Porter Regional Hospital’s discharge facilitator and social worker, recently received the designation of Certified Oncology Social Worker from the Board of Oncology Social Work.

Cardenas’s role at Porter is to aid patients and their caregivers with questions and concerns related to their cancer diagnosis, assisting them with coping skills, helping to improve communication, and linking them to community resources. Her certification demonstrates an advanced level of experience and competency in oncology social work, and links Cardenas to other experts in the field, providing her with additional network of resources that she can utilize. “I’m able to have direct access to additional scenarios from other professionals in the field without delay, which can be of great help when we encounter new situations,” she said.

Cardenas began her career at Porter nearly three years ago, having previously served as a social worker at St. Mary Medical Center and a care coordinator for the Aliveness Project. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Purdue and her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Indiana University Northwest.

For more information on Cancer Care Services at Porter Regional Hospital, visit porterhealth.com.

Porter Health Care System has two hospital campuses and seven outpatient facilities serving Porter, Lake, LaPorte, Starke, Newton, Marshall and Jasper counties. With more than 350 physicians representing 50 medical specialties on the medical staff, Porter Health Care System is committed to medical excellence and personalized, patient-centered care.