Ana M. Rocha is a Nurse Practitioner at the Ellison Clinic at Saint John’s and supports the Breast Medical Oncology Program. She is nationally board-certified Nurse Practitioner by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and holds national certification as an Advanced Oncology Nurse Practitioner (AOCNP) through the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation. Ana received her undergraduate training from Grand Canyon University and her Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University.
Ana began her nursing career in 2005, caring for oncology inpatients, then transitioned to outpatient oncology and chemotherapy infusion center. Ana appreciated early on in her career that Cancer Survivorship which is – living with, through and beyond cancer – is more than just surviving. Cancer care requires a holistic multidisciplinary approach encompassing physical, mental, social, and spiritual health. A Nurse Practitioner since 2016, her mission is to provide patient-centered care to the oncology population with a goal of helping each individual achieve their own personal goals for wellness. She seeks to empower each patient and their family through advocacy, education, and research. She endeavors to support each person and their family throughout the cancer journey.
She enjoys collaborating with organizations to provide education on wellness, prevention, and risk reduction, with a focus on reaching vulnerable populations. She has taken initiatives to create pilot programs at Saint John’s such as the Collaborative Care Model for mental health, a peer-to-peer mentorship program, advanced care planning initiatives, organized the first ever Survivors’ Day celebration and Brain Tumor Awareness Month. When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, before vaccines and treatment were available, she joined research efforts and was a sub-investigator in clinical trials early on to help search for answers. She is active and engaged with the Latinx community. She is fluent in Spanish.
Outside of work, Ana enjoys spending time with family and the outdoors. She loves learning, traveling, history, and culture.