How to become a specialty nurse and treat patients with hepatitus C?

[Cieritaqt, ADN, RN]

I am starting nursing school in January. I have a passion to car for and treat patients with hepatitus C. How can I get into this department as an RN? I'd love to work in a doctor's office or clinic that treats patients with Hep C or liver disease.

[brownbook]

All I can think of is working in a gastrointestinal (GI) clinic or GI Dr's office. However none I know of only follow hep C patients, they would deal with all varieties of GI issues.

[DukieRN]

I currently work with Hepatitis C patients on a dailybasis. I also deal with all liver disease patient that are not listed for transplant or post transplant. I work at a large teaching hospital with the hepatologists. As far as how to find a position like this it is mostly networking and getting to know the hepatologists.

Good Luck

[dawniepoo]

I agree with the above posters. GI is the place to be, or even where I previously work: transplant. Hep C is the most common reason for liver transplant, so you get to know the disease process really well. I admit that I am slightly obsessed with the liver. Its an amazing organ!

[NurseKatie08, MSN]

Try working on an inpatient transplant unit...you'll see lots of patient's with Hep C there!

[BklynHeightsRN]

I agree - you'll get more Hep C experience in transplant than GI. Though GI encompasses the liver and many Gastroenterologists are Hepatologists, not all are. Many docs I know are more of the portal hypertension variety from chronic Hep C. Infectious Disease in general would also give you a lot of exposure to Hep C patients, but I don't think it would be as exciting as transplant.