Badly needs words of Encouragement.....Help!

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Hi all,

So I just started my first assignment in Texas on a hemeonc unit. I have been a nurse for 2yrs. My first and only job back in maryland, I worked at was a general pediatric unit that included some hemeonc patients so I got a good mix of everything there (diabetes, SCC, oncology, FTT, gtubes, bili babies, RSV etc). I took this job in texas knowing it was strictly hemeonc and I can tell you I have never been a fan of Oncology patients but I can deal with them. Its the Chemo that scares me the most. But I have done it and am comfortable with it. Now I came to Texas b/c my sister lives here and I really wanted to be close to her so with that being said, I agreed to do hemeonc anyway.

So I have been on this assignment for a little over 3weeks now. My assignment is for 8weeks 48hr/week which is NO JOKE! Its soooo hard to do 4days a week. I have been offered to extend my stay here and continue working until April. I am VERY apprehensive about staying but apart of me is eager to learn more and force myself to stick with it for the experience. The money is AWESOME! so apart of me really wants to stay because of that too but its tough. The unit I work on is soooooooo busy yet the staff keeps telling me, "its not usually like this. Its only b/c of the holidays". I have not decided what I am going to do. What scares me is the liability that is involved with giving Chemo, how EXTRA careful you have to be, and the condition of the patients in itself. I feel like I dont know enough. Like the other night, I had to teach this family about ANC counts (how to do them, what they are for etc) I felt like the biggest idiot b/c I'm not the best "teacher" in the world and am not good at explaning things to people. BUt I tried my best. I think I got the point across and they demonstrated to me that they understood how to calculate the ANC but I felt silly b/c I feel like I should know more about what I was teaching them, but I only know so much. I'm learning as I go but the family expects me (the nurse) to know things and I feel a bit incompetent at times. I'm scared to death that I may make a mistake that will cost me my liscense but I try not to think of it that way. I get jittery and nervous driving to work everyday no knowing what I am about to face for that night.

So my gut feeling is telling me to stick with it and maybe, just maybe it will get better. Any hemeonc nurses out there with words of encouragement for me??????? I'm praying to the skys that I can find happiness on this unit somehow. Maybe it won't be that bad afterall. I'm learning so so so much but at the same time its so so so scary!:imbar:eek:

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I HATED my first assignment as a nurse. I mean H-A-T-E-D! The patients were rude and very demanding. The techs were lazy and I ended up doing their job most of the time BUT I wouldn't take it back for anything! Stick it out. Every one I have taken since then has been a breeze. I feel like I can handle anything after that.

Are you a traveller? If so, what company do you use? Thanks.

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Specializes in geriatric/long term care.

I'm not a nurse in your speciality but I think that you are too hard on yourself. You sound like you are very dedicated and passionite in what you do and you are obviously quite good at it if you are being asked to extend your tour. Life is full of experiences and it sounds like the good has outweighed the bad in this present one. The hours are long but the money is great the work is challenging but there is fear that a horrible mistake could be made. I say go for it:twocents:

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Yes I am a travel nurse. I use Nurse choice. Thanks for the insight. I can tell u this assignment is not bad, its just the long hours that make it tough for me. The 48hr required work weeks are extremely challenging for me and I feel like i never get time to myself. My days off are always short and my work days are always looooong. I am required to do every other weekend but somehow I always end up working fridays b/c of the 4days a week thing. And thats the part that sucks b/c I work nights so I have to give up majority of my fridays. Unfortunately, I guess I have to sacrifice my social life in a sense as a traveler.

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If you hate the long hours then next time take an assignment with 3 shifts a week. 4 shifts a week can get tough after a while. I have been there. I recently made a move to the managment side of nursing. I am ready to have a first shift/ monday- friday job. I wish I could go back in time sometimes and do travel nursing for a good 5- 10 years before having kids! Happy with where I am at now. If you ever have trouble getting a good assignment let me know. My boss is very good about helping our nurses. That is why I took this position. :) Good luck! Keep me posted on how you are doing. Maybe your next trip can be to Cali or Hawaii!!!

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Oh I would love to go to Hawaii! the minute that assigment pops up I am GONE! Whether it be by myself or not, I am totally taking it. Thanks for the offer I sure will keep you updated. And yes you are right. 4 shifts is certainly tough. I considered dropping down to 36h per week with nurse choice but they actually told me I'm required to do 48h which I think was a little white lie. If I absolutely needed to drop down to 36 I don't see why they couldn't work that out. Thats ok. The money is what keeps me going.

It must be wierd having a 9-5 job is it? I can't imagine but I think I'm headed that way soon. The long hard hours of being a nurse is taking its toll on me. I am kinda ready to be normal now. haha

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I'm starting my first assignment ever in NYC. Just out of curiosity how much do you make in Texas? I'm not going to be making crap in NY and I think the company is kinda taking advantage...

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I will deff keep you in mind in anything like that ever comes up. lol. Yeah, I don't see any reason why they can't get you a 36 hour assignment. That sounds a little fishy to me. I do know the more you work the more they get paid. Grr. Makes me mad when I hear stuff like this.

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Chacmool: $38/hr here in Texas.

Emily Piatt: Yea its frustrating to hear of agencies taking advantage of people. Thank God I researched the business a whole bunch b4 I started and I knew a few people who had done it also so I was kinda mentored on my way. Its not what you know its who you know right? ; ) There is someone that I met here who was also a traveler and she got screwed so badly. The agency sent her out here, she got her own housing on her own and on our first day of orientation they tell her Oh by the way, your going to be working at a different location an hour away from where you stay. And on top of that her pay was crappy. I know its unethical to talk about pay with other nurses but in her case it came up b/c she got screwed so badly so we found out she was getting $11 less than everyone else. We all were with different agencies of course. the agency didn't even offer to help her out much like say with gas for commuting or bonus pay for the inconvenience. What happened was they lied on her and said she agreed to travel to that location so when the facility asked her about it she was like WHAT?! Uhh no! Crazy! So glad My assignment so far has been smooth sailing. Besides floating alot but the floors I float to are more to my liking than Hemeonc.

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I am a want-to-be traveler, but I am an oncology RN so a little advice about chemo, it can be very scary. Did you get certified in Chemo, I would not be giving it other wise. We don't do chemo as much at our hospital now alot of Dr's do it in the office unless they are neutropenic and need to be in the hospital. Always have someone else double check you until you are comfortable, the more you do it the better it gets.

I am planning on traveling in 2012 as soon as kids graduate high school, can't wait, I have been doing alot of research before the big move.

Good luck

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