Advice for a new nurse new to oncology? :)

[hyena, ASN]

Hello there! New grad, got my license in May. I'm starting a job on an oncology floor after spending two years of nursing school and these past few months working in a primary care office. I got a job in the UK on a unit I really wanted.

I was wondering if anyone had any advice- I've always felt pretty drawn to oncology, and I really want to make connections with my patients. I'm just really nervous about going to a new job since I briefly tried a gig in the ER after getting my license in July and found it really overstimulating and was miserable. Be gentle please, I'm nervous!

[DavidFR, BSN, MSN, RN]

UK trained nurse here. Been gone a long time but the UK was always good at  induction/orientation and hopefully that hasn't changed.

Most new nurses get an orientation period, so make sure you observe, take notes, ask questions and particularly ask to observe and get supervised practice in the things which are so oncology that you maybe haven't come accross them before (chemo, Port-a-caths, PCA's, very high doses of Morphine and other CDs etc.) 

You don't say if you're UK trained? The UK has a very specific grading system which protects new nurses. I imagine you'll be starting on a junior grade (would have been D grade in my UK days, now replaced with a similar numerical banding system), so you'll be protected and supervised in a way nurses in many other countries aren't.

It's normal to be nervous starting in a new job, especially when you're still relatively inexperienced, but honestly - CHILL. Be observant, vigilant and enthusiastic and all will be OK. You've chosen a fantastic speciality. I came to oncology late and I absolutely love it. Best of luck!   

[hyena, ASN]

@DavidFR Thank you so much for the encouragement and great info!! It means the world to me, I feel a lot better ?
I was trained in the US myself, and I will be starting at a junior grade! I'm going to be a band 4 until I pass my OSCE examination and then I'll be at Band 5.