So why certify in chemotherapy

[Johnny Moo Man]

I've been giving chemo for 2 years now and my certification is up for renewal. I'm more than likely going to follow my coworkers and not recertify. Too much added work, no perks. I don't get less patients because I'm giving chemo and I sure don't get a pay raise. Last night for instance I was the only chemo nurse in the hospital. I had to sign the chemo off with the pharmacist because there wasn't another chemo nurse. I've got 3 patients getting this caustic substance through peripheral lines, meaning regular IVs. Then ICU keeps calling and demanding I come down there to give a sick woman her first time chemo. Since I'm the only game in town, I refused. PAtients have to be monitored.

So my question is, did anyone else go through the chemo drill? Why get certified at all? On the bright side, the cancer patients are among the nicest.

As always, thanks in advance, a pleasure hearing from all of you.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

I am scared of chemo. I do not know why? I guess because I am a new grad. I am still learning IV and blood transfusions.

You're scared of it because you're smart and it's some scary stuff. Toxic. On purpose. And we pump it into people to kill the cells that are killing them and in so doing kill the good cells off, too.

You'd be stupid not to be scared.

[Nursegirl1010]

I am also a new-older nurse workin on an oncology unit. I was looking forward to becoming chemo certified, but after reading these posts I can see that it is not something that I will be doing.

[1BunnyRN]

Hi, just a question I've been meaning to look up, anyone know? My first couple years as a nurse I worked on an oncology unit I loved it but wanted to move to a new hospital much closer to me, I got a job on the medical floor that does chemo rarely, in my interview no one mentioned my chemo cert. or asked about it. Anyway a few weeks into working a chemo came up at night that I had not done in a long time, I had the pt. but their was no one else to check it with me, I had 5 other pt.'s, couldn't find a chemo book. Anyway I mentioned my concerns of having no one else their at night and 6 pt's, it did not seem my boss or anyone found this to be a problem so I let my cert. expire and told them I would retake the class if it was paid for and some things changed. I was told not having certification was no excuse for not giving chemo and I only needed to be competent according to hospital policy? I thought you had to be certified?

[CHATSDALE]

i would think that any program that the facility would require that you have ie cpr certification, alcs, other cert like chemo should be paid for by facility and should be considered a work ie you should ber paid regular wage during classroom attendance

i have never worked anywhere where this was not so

if you are asked to recertify decline unless significant wage increase

[ukstudent]

I am also a new-older nurse workin on an oncology unit. I was looking forward to becoming chemo certified, but after reading these posts I can see that it is not something that I will be doing.

Before deciding not to get certified find out how being chemo certified will change your job. Is everyone certified so that the work is spread out? Does the hospital pay for it? Do you get extra pay for it?

The OP was talking about a situation were being certified just got him/her worse working conditions. It's not like that in all hospitals. Check yours out first.

[AuntieRN]

I just took the chemo certification class two weekends ago. I got to work this passed Saturday and am told since I was the only one who had taken the class I got to hang chemo. Well talk about feeling uncomfortable. It was also running through a peripheral line which made me uncomfortable as well. The only thing that helped me be at ease a bit was it was the patient's 4th round. Everything went well until the last half of his second bag when his site started leaking. Poor pt tried to convince me otherwise. We had to stick him again and he had one vein left we could find. Thankfully it worked he got his last half hour of chemo and on his way he went.

We also do not get more pay or less patients just because we are doing chemo. I really wanted to go to the class to learn about it then thought perhaps we would get some hands on training first.