New Job!

PennyLane, RN · Dec 28, 2004

Congrats on your new job! Is this the area you wanted to work in?

I can't comment on the nursing aspect, but I did watch someone go through the process. She spoke highly of the nurses- she really got to know them well, since she was in the hospital for so long. I'd say you've picked a challenging field, emotionally speaking. The patients will be very sick and miserable. Some will die, but others will get better and leave the hospital. When they get the transplant they'll be severely immunocompromised--so be prepared to scrub and gown and glove up to enter the rooms.

Good luck!!

BSN2004NSU, BSN, RN · Dec 28, 2004

Thank you!

This isn't my first job choice, but I'm so excited because I want to learn more about the area because I have a history of cancer in my family, so this area is sort of personal to me. Have you found a job yet? Good luck at your new job!!:balloons:

BSN2004NSU

PennyLane, RN · Dec 29, 2004

Yes, I have found a job. I'm going to be an ED nurse I take the boards Feb. 1st.

nursepearl · Jan 3, 2005

i work on a hematology/oncology floor. we do bone marrow and stem cell transplants. I LOVE my work. we get to know our patients very well as, yes, they can be with us for several months. its also exicitng because the nurses do the transplants! I belive its the only transplant that nurses can do.

our patients do get very immunocompromised and we put them on neutropenic precautions which consists of washing hands before entering, no flowers or live plants, low bacteria diets, and patients can only walk in halls with masks on, dressing changes on cvc lines everyday, anti-fungals....also of course, no sick visitors or nurses. there may be a couple more that i cant think of right now....its basically common sense things to reduce exposure to bacteria, fugus...etc.

i would suggest reading up on BMT's before hand and maybe getting your floors procedure manual to see what they do with these patients.

good luck to you and i hope you enjoy this area.

pearl

ps.excuse any spelling errors.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jan 3, 2005

i work on a hematology/oncology floor. we do bone marrow and stem cell transplants. i love my work. we get to know our patients very well as, yes, they can be with us for several months. its also exicitng because the nurses do the transplants! i belive its the only transplant that nurses can do.
our patients do get very immunocompromised and we put them on neutropenic precautions which consists of washing hands before entering, no flowers or live plants, low bacteria diets, and patients can only walk in halls with masks on, dressing changes on cvc lines everyday, anti-fungals....also of course, no sick visitors or nurses. there may be a couple more that i cant think of right now....its basically common sense things to reduce exposure to bacteria, fugus...etc.
i would suggest reading up on bmt's before hand and maybe getting your floors procedure manual to see what they do with these patients.
good luck to you and i hope you enjoy this area.
pearl
ps.excuse any spelling errors.

i too work in bmt (peds). it is really a fascinating specialty. either you like it, or you don't. there is a lot of educating (pt and family) involved. this was great for me in the beginning, because it really kept me on my toes (you can't bs your patients when they ask you a question, so you need to know why you're doing everything you do). i wouldn't say the care is routine, but certain things are (the meds, the complications and the general flow of the job). there are always surprises however (meaning complications) but you do get to anticipate what's coming. lots of critical thinking, like solving a mystery. it's amazing to see someone walk out of there after it's over, after seeing them suffer so much.

those are the pros. i'm sure you could imagine the cons. they are not all happy endings, and even if they make it home, that may not be the end. it can become frustrating to see someone not get better, febrile for weeks without a source, pts who don't engraft, line infections, graft vs. host disease, and many other complications. very few pts (at least where i work) go home in the 'typical' 4-6 weeks. and it pains me when they ask this question as soon as they are admitted. :crying2: you can't promise them anything. especially in peds, the parents want to know "how do most 2 yr olds do', or 'how do most kids with aml do". they want good news, of course. but there's no magic # or outcome.

how big is the unit you are working on? do you know the pt ratio?

there is enough info on onc and bmt to choke a horse with. go to the ons or apon websites. there are always conferences. ons has two a year (the next one is in orlando in april). they are $$$, but very good.

BSN2004NSU, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2005

Thanks to everyone who has gave me wonderful information regarding my future job! The nurse:patient ratio is 1:3-4 patients. For my last semester in nursing school, I was in a surgical intensive care unit, so I was used to having 1 or 2 patients at the most. I think I will definitely have to get used to taking care of more than two patients. I will be working in a 12 bed unit. For orientation, I will be training for 2 months in oncology and 2 months in BMT, just in case I need to go to oncology if they need help. Is there a good website that I can go to to find out more info about BMT nursing?

Once again, thank you all for your comments!:)

BSN2004NSU

renerian, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2005

I worked BMT over 6 years and loved it!

renerian

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

Good luck in this new position. You have already stated you are interested in learning more about BMT, so you have a good attitude to start this new position. I agree that some of the things you will see and people you will meet will break your heart but others will make you smile and make your soul soar. Keep us posted on how it is going. Good luck.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

look it up on the internet. Also, consider that these patients are immune-supressed and anemic. What care does that require? what labs? what drugs?

I am sure you will do fine. No one comes out of nursing school knowing all about nursing. Just absorb, ask questions and it will come!

Ted · Jan 11, 2005

Congrats on the new job! :)

I used to work on a heme/onc/bmt unit for several years. I loved it. Still work there per diem, just to keep myself involved with oncology (might even return to oncology nursing full-time someday). Sadly, the BMT program has long since ended at this particular hospital due to a couple of other BMT programs in other hospitals and outpatient stem-cell programs.

If your BMT program is anything like ours program was, you will get to know your patients quite well!

Good luck! :)

Ted