Allergy Nurse

[l8sgirl]

I started working as an allergy nurse 1 year ago, and I absolutely love my job. The only part of my job that I don't like is how I am the only RN in the office. It has been a very difficult transition learning about the allergy profession and the roles/responsibilities as an allergy/asthma nurse. I wish I had a mentor in the office to learn from, but this just isn't the case. The MDs I work for are amazing physicians, and help teach me all that they know about allergy, but I still wish I could get continuing education from an existing allergy nurse.

This is where my question begins. I was looking into getting training, or becoming certified as an allergy nurse. The only certification I came across was at the University of South Australia. I could not find anything in the United States. Do you know of any training/certification resources? I know there is an asthma certification, but I feel there should be one for allergy.

I would love to add some type of certification to my resume, because I have an amazing opportunity to expand my practice at my current clinic by becoming a research nurse and participating in asthma and allergy clinical trials.

If you have any other information regarding being an allergy nurse, let me know! Thanks!

[T-Bird78]

I started doing allergy at an ENT, so they sent me to the AAOA Basic Allergy Conference (American Academy of Otolaryngolic Allergy). I'm currently at a general allergy/asthma clinic and it was just hands-on training, nothing outside. Check with AAAAI (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, or something like that) if they offer any courses you can take. The AAOA course was 26 continuing education hours, so the AAAAI may have something similar. Are the other staff in your facility LPNs or RNs or MAs? My office is LPN only, so don't count out what the LPNs can teach you.

[Nei77, MSN]

Thanks