[CSNS]

Hi everyone,

Next friday I am going for an interview to get a tech position on an oncology/med surg unit. This is my first job and boy I am nervous. Oncology is an area that interests me but I do not know much about it. Has anyone ever teched / worked there? What should I expect to be doing in that area of the hospital?
Also what should I bring to the interview. I do not have a resume since I do not have any work experience. I thought about bringing my recommendation letters (that was required for the application) and a portfolio of the skills I have performed since starting nursing school (provided by the school) what do you think?

Thanks a lot!

[TakeTwoAspirin]

Your experiences while going through nursing school IS your resume and you should make one up including the clinical rotations you did, along the skills you learned while you were there.

Include on your resume any community service or voluntary work you have done, anything that documents your experience (and it doesn't have to be paid experience - experience is experienced).

Take along any and all recommendations/references (copies for them to keep).

Read up before you go. You say you are interested in oncology but don't know much about it, well do some research and find out some stuff about it - the most recent the better. Quote one or two of these references during the interview, and frame questions around them. It will demonstrate that you may not know a lot, but you are willing to learn, have shown initiative and have a serious interest.

Good luck, and don't forget to breath.

[MotivatedOne]

I just started on an onc/med surg unit...and oh boy is it something else. It is definitely in my opinion a good place to start because you see just about everything. I just finished CNA training in March of this year. This is technically my first job as a CNA and honestly I just feel so nervous...scared I'm going to hurt the patients by moving them a certain way because of all of the tubing. But like I said, it's a learning experience. Thankfully the majority of the patients are patient with me. So far all I've been doing is checking vitals, emptying foley's, JP's and H-Vacs, and every now and then changing a patient. I work the night shift so things are a bit slower then...sometimes. Anyway, good luck!!!

[CSNS]

THanks for sharing this with me! I have never fooled with H-Vac...are they hard to handle? What about the JP drains, never emptied them?

[WDWpixieRN]

We did a semester on a med/oncology floor and it reminded me pretty much of the med/surg clinicals we had except the majority of your pts will be dealing with some form of CA.

[Conrad283]

Oncology can be tough. There's a lot of sadness on a floor like that. I've worked as a clerk on an oncology floor for a while now and there's been a lot ups and downs. You'll get to know some of the patients because they're constantly in and out for treatments and whatnot.

Ask questions about what your job entails. Who you'll be working with. Dress nicely (business attire), get there early, and don't ask what the salary is for your first question. Just breathe and relax and you'll do just fine.