Brand New Hem/Onc Nurse

[Nurseannieb]

I am a new graduate RN set to start my residencey on a very busy Hem/Onc Floor. We do stem cell transplants, immunotherapy, etc? at a big teaching hospital.

I have 20 days til my start date and I am freaking out. I have accepted I know nothing! and I am ready to learn from my preceptor, but I'd like to read up on common conditions, drugs, treatments.

I know I will be giving a lot of blood, platletes, etc... But I'd really like to walk in there more confident having known that I researched my patients disease processes, and their common treatment plans.

My father and grandmother both passed away from cancer this year, and I was heavily involved in their care. So I do have a personal, emotional, background with cancer patients but I will be honest in saying I do not know the first thing about liquid cancers, etc...

Thanks so much!

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

AML, ALL, MDS, multiple myeloma (loads of it), Hodgkin's, NHL, MPD, and maybe a little aplastic anemia and a handful of other rare genetic disorders.

GVHD, VOD/SOS, all the mucositis, sepsis, engraftment syndrome, graft failure for your complications

If your place is anything like mine, drugs: melphalan, cyclophosphamide, busulfan, fludarabine, ATG, bcnu, etoposide, methotrexate, rituxin, mycophenolate, tacrolimus, sirolimus, ivig, meropenem, zosyn, vancomycin, tobramycin, micafungin, amphotericin, penicillin, zithromax, acyclovir, fluconazole, posaconazole, chlorhexidine (mouthwash and skin care), caphosol, all kinds of narcotics for pain management, all kinds of electrolyte replacement, tpn, insulin, pepcid, protonix, lasix or bumex, ursodiol, lovenox

Lots of RBCs and Plts, like you said

It's a lot to learn. The first two years will be brutal. Then suddenly it will be easier. You'll realize almost all the patients are on similar protocols and it will start to feel like groundhog day. Then they'll change the protocols. Have fun. Get to know your patients but try not to get too emotionally involved.