Published
Learning all the the new unfamiliar chemos is the hardest part of the job, but just like anything else, the more you use the products the more the names, side-effects and specificities stick in your brain.
I'm not in the US so I can't comment on your facilities. However in my own experience yes, onco can be busy, yes it can be stressful. At the same time in a nearly 40 year career my last 15 years in onco have been nothing but rewarding. I love this speciality and I'm sure you will get so much out of it.
You say you're looking forward to learning a new speciality. Approaching with such positivity is half the battle won. I'm sure it'll be great.
Good luck!
It's an awesome job! I started in inpatient oncology and moved to outpatient infusion. It's going to be a bit overwhelming at first since you aren't familiar with the drugs and protocols at all. Don't get discouraged. You can most definitely do it if you commit and put in the work. If possible, I encourage you to look up patients the night before and look up their drugs/treatment plans the day before. Look at the individual drugs, and treatment plans as a whole. Look at the patients diagnosis. You will more quickly familiarize yourself with the drugs and treatment plans. Most importantly, read about how the drugs given, and nursing conditions when giving each drug. Doing a little prep work will not only help you, but your preceptor will greatly appreciate you taking some proactive responsibility in your training. Good luck!
sistasoul
724 Posts
Hi all,
I am hopefully going to be starting a new chemo infusion job soon. Just waiting on reference checks and other clearances. I will be brand new to this. How does everyone like it? What are the harder parts of the job. I am really looking forward to learning a new specialty. Are nurses on their feet for most of the day? I enjoy active jobs. I am sure it cannot be as stressful as a medical surgical floor. Or, maybe I am wrong?
thank you