Any allergy nurses out there?

nursingj · Feb 15, 2012

Any advice for RN who will be interviewing for an allergy RN position? Any suggestions on what I should know about allergy nursing while interviewing?

Sneezes n' wheezes · Feb 16, 2012

I have been in the field for 23-plus years now, having worked in two solo practice settings, a three-physician group, and now in a hospital-based 4-doctor group. Allergists in general are great people to work for, since they're seldom bothered on call, don't work nights (like OB's and Peds for instance), so they're happier than most. Most allergists are doing very well financially, and yet there are some who fail to appreciate their staff, such as the one I recently left after 18 years of part-time work. Getting any kind of raise from him was torture, and he finally made it so difficult, I had to leave. I later discovered that after getting all of six raises in 18 years, he felt I was making too much money and fabricated stories to other employees and me to anger me enough to leave. I'm sure he was relieved that he didn't have to "terminate" me and risk legal retribution.

Anyway, you will probably be expected to administer many allergy injections, do some patient teaching, particularly re: asthma, allergies to environmental sources as well as foods, allergy avoidance and of course perform skin testing, and perhaps use a given rating system to indicate degree of allergy. I would advise a prospective allergy nurse to go to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (aaaai.org) and the "College" (acaai.org) websites to familiarize yourself with some basic terminology and info as well. The more the doctor thinks you know, the bigger leg you'll have up on other applicants, and a higher starting salary, hopefully. It's a great field where you can help many people with simple everyday problems and contribute to a better quality of life. Go for it!! If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them. Just ask. Good luck in the interview.

ninadale71 · May 9, 2012

I am an LPN. I have been a nurse since 1999. I have been doing allergy in an ENT office for the last 6+ years. We recently joined a hospital based practice because the physician I started working with wanted to retire. I had to take a paycut. My coworker, who was an allergy tech, recently retired. I am the only person in the office that knows allergy. I am on my second nurse trying to train,test,mix,administer shots,answer phones,etc....I am really getting stressed. My question to all the other allergy nurses out there.....what is your pay scale.? I have been told by my office manager that this is not a supervisory position and that I am not getting a raise......I have been with this practice since December 2008. My current pay rate $15.17 an hour. I am curious what you all think....I am very discouraged right now.

Sneezes n' wheezes · May 9, 2012

Hi ninadale71,

Many factors contribute to salary, including area of the country you practice, type of practice (teaching hospital, multispecialty practice, solo practice, etc. But I CAN say, my opinion is that you are underpaid if you are the "heart and soul" of the practice. I work in a nationally-recognized teaching hospital in the Northeast as an RN with 23 years of experience in the field, (and AE-C certified). The LPN in our practice who has worked in the facility for 18 years makes about $32.00 an hour, which is competitive for this area. Unless you work in a rural area where the reimbursements for service are quite low, you certainly deserve to be @ $18, anyway IMHO. See if you can contact other hospital allergy departments or human resource departments in your area to at least get a pay scale range to compare. Good luck!! Let me know how you make out.

AJCorwinRN · Jun 29, 2012

Hi, I am new to the site. I am a recent new ADN graduate (May 2012). I just recently accepted an offer at an ENT and allergy specialist thru a local hospital in my area. I am excited to begin this new chapter in my life. I will be the only RN in the new practice. I was hoping that I could receive some advice and encouragement from this site.

Thank-you.

Sneezes n' wheezes · Jun 30, 2012

Congratulations on your new job, AJ. I'm an allergy nurse (23 years+) working in an urban teaching hospital. (See my previous entries for more info). I stand ready to give you any assistance and encouragement possible. I do encourage you to become active in both your local and national allergy societies, where you will be able to learn so much about the field. Your employer may very well pay your way to go to one of the national meetings (the next College meeting (acaai.org) is in November in Anaheim, CA, and next spring the Academy (aaaai.org) meets in San Antonio. The websites are an invaluable resource, even if you choose not to join the Allied Health division (which I highly recommend, and the dues for which the hospital should cover.) I'm sure you're prepared for the challenges ahead (and there WILL be many), but I stand ready to help in any way I can.

Demm · Jul 12, 2012

Dear S 'n' W, I m a recent lvn grad , and haven't worked yet, I just got offered a allergy testing job but not sure what all that means as far as training and skills i will learn. I want a job that will give me a good start in nursing, Not sure how much experience I will actually get that will help me later? Since im a new grad, everything sounds good at this point lol! I also have a interview with kelsey seybold and they have allot of clinics and specialties, the position Im ups working with a pulmonologist at three different clinics, One of those nurses that goes where the doc goes. But its just an interview, nothing definite and they wont even make a decision til mid august. So I guess my question is should I take the allergy testing job that's a sure bet now or take my chances and wait to see if I get on with a bigger company that will give me more chance of advancement later?

any advice you can give for a newbie would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!

Oedgar · Jul 12, 2012

Do not take the allergy clinic job right out of school. I worked at Texas Children's as a LVN for 22 months, just long enough to get comfortable being a nurse. Decided to leave the stress and shift work behind, and took a job in a small town allergy clinic. I worked there for 6 years and learned a lot about allergies/asthma. However, you will be limited to doing allergy shots, flu shots allergy testing, pulmonary functions, and nebulizer treatments. I have never been able to work in a hospital, as I lost all of my other nursing skills and confidence.

Sneezes n' wheezes · Jul 13, 2012

Hi Demm, and welcome. Oedgar's answer may have some validity, but there are a number of issues you need to ponder before making a decision. I'll throw some at you... What is the employment outlook for nursing professionals in your area right now? How important is it to you financially to find a job immediately? (What expenses do you have right now and how long could you remain un- or underemployed?) What are your realistic goals in the next 2, 5 or 10 years. New grads are very idealistic, and I'm so glad they are, but you need to survey the job landscape, your willingness to move a certain distance should your dream job appear, what relationships would change if you chose to move, etc. Do you know anyone currently in the field of allergy or know a longtime patient involved with a practice? I have worked for 23 years in the field and have enjoyed it quite a bit. There really is something different to do every day, and your knowledge base will increase from allergy to asthma to maybe some dermatology and immunology. The opportunity to teach patients everything from allergen avoidance to proper metered dose inhaler usage is very rewarding, since you make an immediate impact on their lives. If this sounds like something you'd like to do for a long time, then go for it. While there's a great deal to learn, you can become an "expert" in the field. If you'd prefer to be a "nurse-of-all-trades" and prefer to mix it up, then the Kelsey/Seybold opportunity might be worth waiting for. I'm not familiar with them, but if they're a large multispecialty company, it will also give you the chance to transfer in and out of different fields, either until you find the right fit, or perhaps the variety itself is the challenge. In summary, try to decide if a single specialty can make you happy for a relatively-long time or whether you'd prefer to set sail on a longer adventure. (I just visited the KS website and the breadth of their practice is impressive. See if you can contact current employees to see what they think of the company and how they feel they're treated (vacation time, benefits, ability to transfer to another specialty, etc. Getting to know a potential employer BEFORE you sign on can be a tremendous advantage. I've probably ranted too much, so I'll sign off. Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns, and I'll be more than happy to try and answer them. Good luck, I know you'll make a great decision.