Melissa Fessel, DNP, ARNP
Melissa Fessel, DNP, ARNP
- Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, Fred Hutch
- Teaching Associate, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine
Hematology-Oncology
“I want to have an honest and trusting relationship with patients so they feel comfortable sharing about all aspects of their life, since our personal experiences can affect cancer care and well-being.”
— Melissa
What brought you to oncology?
I started my career as a nurse and worked for five years in a cardiac ICU. I went back to school to become a nurse practitioner because I wanted to help people have better health and health care. I spent time in rheumatology, and I loved seeing patients regularly to watch their progress on medications and immunotherapies. We use a lot of these same therapies to treat cancer.
What do you hope it's like for a patient to work with you?
I want to improve my patients’ lives in any way I can, so I want to do my best by them and provide evidence-based medicine to treat their condition while keeping side effects and emotional aspects in mind. At the end of every visit, I hope I will have made their day a bit better and that patients feel that their questions were answered. Everyone here is a valued member of the team and involved in the process of providing care, and we keep patients and their families as the focus.
Provider Background
Specialty: Hematology Oncology
Area of clinical practice
Malignant hematology
I am an advanced registered nurse practitioner who sees patients at the South Lake Union Clinic.
I see patients with many different types of blood cancer, including lymphoma.
Diseases Treated
Languages
English
Education, Experience and Certifications
Undergraduate Degree
University of San Francisco
Medical Degree
University of Washington
Clinical Trials
We make promising new treatments available to you through studies called clinical trials led by Fred Hutch doctors. Many of these trials at Fred Hutch have led to FDA-approved treatments and have improved standards of care globally. Together, you and your doctor can decide if a study is right for you.
Your Care Team
At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes doctors, a patient care coordinator, a registered nurse, an advanced practice provider and others, based on your needs. You also have access to experts like nutritionists, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders.
Insurance
Fred Hutch accepts most national private health insurance plans as well as Medicare. We also accept Medicaid for people from Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. We are working to ensure that everyone, no matter what their financial situation, has access to the care they need.
For the Media
The Media Relations team at Fred Hutch is available to assist members of the news media who would like to arrange interviews with providers.
Email media@fredhutch.org or call 206.667.2210