job offer in oncology need advice

[Cisl4him, RN]

Hi All,

Ok, here goes. I take my boards on Aug.15th. I have been offered a position as an LPN in an oncology department. I will responsible for injections, lab draws, pat. assessments (1 pat. every 15 to 20 min.)

new phys. orders every 3 months or so. Ther hourse are 8:15 to 4:45

32 hours/wk. $20. I have worked at the sister hospital connected to this facility. I don't want to lose my seniority. I will be able to keep my same benifits and not lose my seniority. Oh, no, weekends and no holidays.

I'm just not sure if I should look around a bit more to make sure this is what I want. What do you think?

[MzMouse]

I am an office nurse and I think it sounds like a terrific offer. It really depends on what you want to do with your nursing license.

[Cisl4him, RN]

Yes, I think you are right. Do you think I it is a good place to start for a new LPN grad? Do you think I will utilize my clinical skills? Maybe I should just think of it as a starting place. I plan on pursing my RN on with The Distance Learning online nursing program. Thank you

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Are you able to work per diem at the sister hospital of this job? If so, then, I would take it. I work in a hospital clinic also, have weekends and holidays off. I am not going to give that up for the world. However, I do know of the value of bedside experience. What I did was sign up for one of the agencies that our hospital uses and I work every other weekend on med-surg to keep up my skills. I did do med-surg for 6 weeks as a new grad, so, I didn't miss a beat.

[Cisl4him, RN]

I am an office nurse and I think it sounds like a terrific offer. It really depends on what you want to do with your nursing license.

Hi, Well, I passed my boards and will begin this new position at a Cancer Care center in Mass. I will be performing basic nursing care, blood draws, vital signs, injections, assessments, and whatever else that I don't know about (lol). At the present time I work in a hosptial setting and have been for over 20 years. This is totaly new experience for me. Do you have any insight for me as I enter this new field?

[smyle2156]

can lpns do blood draws? I am a recent grad and in Ohio we did not go over that in school. Just wondering, but congrats.... I would love to have a position like that.

[Cisl4him, RN]

Well, we must be able to. Normally, I don't think LPNs do blood draws in longterm care or the hospital setting. However, I must draw H/H before an oncology patient can receive chemotherapy. I have already taken a phlebotomy class so this is just more practice. I have not drawn blood in 5 years and really did not get much practice so this is going to be a challenge.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I was a phlebotomist long before I became an LPN, and I have drawn plenty of bloods as a nurse in my clinic, especially for the Coumadin Clinic. It is a good skill to obtain, especially if you work in a hospital, because we can initiate placing med-locks for IV therapy without waiting for the IV team.