New RN grad starting oncology floor Aug 10th

[debblynn13]

Any other new oncology nurses out there? I"ll take advice from the more experienced oncology nurses too.

I am really nervous about starting. I would have been nervous on any floor tho. Sounds like I will be having 10 weeks of orientation mostly on the day shift. After orientation I will be doing a day/night rotation until I get comfortable or a day position opens up. I won't be doing any chemo drugs for at least 3 months possibly not until january. Before then I will attend chemo classes. I felt that they were a very friendly helpful bunch on that floor. Hopefully I will feel that way in a month. I asked what to start reading up on and they sent me a box full of brochures. So I have plenty to read. :rotfl:

So how did I pick oncology. I did my preceptorship in Hospice and loved it. They told me oncology was a good field to get into if i wanted to do hospice in the future. I had an offer on a telemetry floor and was seriously thinking about taking it, but the personalities of the oncology floor seemed to fit me better. Now I just hope I can make it....*weak smile*

Thanks everyone for just letting me babble...

Debblynn

[dlhommer]

I love working on the oncology unit so far too. it is a great unit in a large hospital. I find the patients very intersting to work with and I learn something new every day. Don't worry too much, you are not expected to know everything right away or ever....so ask lots of questions and keep your eyes and ears open. you'll have a blast.

Deb

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

any other new oncology nurses out there? i"ll take advice from the more experienced oncology nurses too.

i am really nervous about starting. i would have been nervous on any floor tho. sounds like i will be having 10 weeks of orientation mostly on the day shift. after orientation i will be doing a day/night rotation until i get comfortable or a day position opens up. i won't be doing any chemo drugs for at least 3 months possibly not until january. before then i will attend chemo classes. i felt that they were a very friendly helpful bunch on that floor. hopefully i will feel that way in a month. i asked what to start reading up on and they sent me a box full of brochures. so i have plenty to read. :rotfl:

so how did i pick oncology. i did my preceptorship in hospice and loved it. they told me oncology was a good field to get into if i wanted to do hospice in the future. i had an offer on a telemetry floor and was seriously thinking about taking it, but the personalities of the oncology floor seemed to fit me better. now i just hope i can make it....*weak smile*

thanks everyone for just letting me babble...

debblynn

:melody: hello and welcome :balloons:

good luck in your new position and come back here often!! :melody:

siri, crnp, clnc, rlnc

[flaerman]

I have been an RN for 20 yrs and did Oncology for a little over 7 of those. I did absolutely love what I was doing as it is it's own "specialty", most other nurses who were in Oncology were not comfortable with it. I was chemo certified by a Clinical Spec RN who gave us a reverent fear and respect for the chemo drugs which is absolutey neccessary when giving cyto-toxic drugs to your patients. You will do tons of teaching for your patients about disease process, drugs/treatment, etc and need to give much emotional support to your patients, their families and your co-workers too. Learn to treat the whole patient, his/her disease and treatment, outcomes, family dynamics, and make them feel like they are special to you. When treatment fails and a terminal state is in their near future, talk to them about death, their life, their families etc. Make sure you are there for the families when time is running because they'll need you most of all then(even if they know how to ask for help/support). When new drugs come out learn about them. Be your pt's number one cheerleader. Always talk to your patients even if they can speak back and encourage their families to do the same, I've seen people go from unresponsive to responsive again and not be too happy with things they might have heard while out of it. It is a great field but when I moved on from it I had overextended myself too far in caring for/and about my pt's and had a wife(also a nurse) who was unsupportive of me(my feelings) and led to burnout. For this reason I suggest you find good support systems to help you when it gets overwhelming(and it can) and take care of you too since you are no good to your patients if you down and burnt. This online forum wan't available when I was doing Oncology or it might have kept me doing it longer. Good luck with you new position and career. Though I am no longer in Oncology I still remember a lot and if you ever someone to chat with, let me know...... :) :) :) flaerman