Nurse Tech

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 10, 2007

I think this is a great opportunity for you to observe without the total responsibility of being a nurse right now. You can ask the patients and the nurses all of the questions that you wish, learn how to interact with people who may have a poor prognosis and use a bit of creatitivy at the same time. Best wishes!

rnlately · May 11, 2007

I work in an oncology practice and trust me; it isn't all gloom and doom like some people make it out to be. Remember having cancer doesn't automatically mean that a person is going to die this instant and it helps to interact with them in a manner such as you'd interact with someone who didn't have cancer. Lend an ear and allow them to vent their feelings.

Esther2007 · May 11, 2007

I would find out how the student nurse tech is set-up. Rightnow, I am working as a student nurse tech and I hate it. I am looking into another hospital, where I am going to work one on one with a Registered Nurse. Rightnow, they have me working as a CNA and I want to learn more. Nothing against CNAs, but I am beyond that now. I just completed my first year of nursing school and I think, I can do more than taking vital signs and washing patients.

miko014 · May 11, 2007

I started as a tech on a med/surg onc floor, and I loved it! I didn't choose where I wanted to go, I just said that I wanted a tech position and they dropped me in where there was an opening. If that unit is anything at all like the one I started on, you will get to see not only oncology, but also a little bit of everything else! It really helped me with nursing school to have that experience to draw on - and it was always interesting when I would go to work and see something that we had just discussed in lecture the day before. I must have liked it...I'm still there - just an RN instead of a tech now. I can't tell you what is right for you. Could you shadow someone to see what you think about the unit? Good luck with whatever you decide!

angel75 · May 11, 2007

Thanks for all of the replies! I really don't mind where they put me as a nurse tech. I just want some experience! I thought that after 3 semesters of clinicals I would have some confidence with patient care. I will have to say that I feel more comfortable with my books than on the floor. So I hope over the summer I will be able to see and do more so I have more confidence during my last semester.

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 11, 2007

Where I worked, nurse techs did nursing assistant duties and in addition, phlebotomy and EKG skills. I was already a phlebotomist before, so that was the easy part, and we were taught basic EKG interpetation...such as a-fib, pvc, v-tach and v-fib...the dangerous ones. Now, since taking an EKG class after becoming an LPN, I learned even more. We also did clerical skills, such as starting the chart, opening and closing visits for billing and basic things for insurance claims. It was sort of like a medical assistant of sorts.