Pediatric Oncology

[FuturePedRN2016, CNA]

I am Pre-Nursing student and I have always wanted to work in pediatrics. It was a trip to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital (and having a few childhood friends with kids that go for treatment) that really tugged at my heart to want to work in this particular specialty. I hear it is one of the hardest specialties to work in but as with the rest, very rewarding. I am hoping that some of you who work in this specialty can share what its like (the good, bad and the ugly) and how you started in Pediatric Oncology.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

I started out as a mom. My son had a malignant blood disorder that required 3 1/2 years of chemotherapy and 2 rounds of radiotherapy. We spent a lot of time in the oncology clinic and I learned a lot about different oncologic diseases and their treatments just from chatting with other moms. When it was time to arrange my senior practicum in nursing school there was no question where I'd be doing it. Of course, once I was looking for work, I wasn't able to get on with that unit and have taken a different road. But in PICU we do care for a number of oncology patients each year, most often children with either brain tumours or large solid organ tumours. We don't actually administer their chemo but we do provide all the rest of their care.

One of the best things about oncology nursing is the relationships you'll develop with your patients and their families. Peds patients are usually on very long, harsh treatment protocols that require regularly-spaced admissions. Because you're caring for these patients regularly for years, you gain insight into their coping mechanisms, their strengths and weaknesses and become very good at recognising when psychosocial issues are evolving. It makes your interventions more effective. Yes, children with cancer or other malignant disorders die. Yes, it's hard to keep smiling when you know one of your patients is nearing the end of their battle. But the parents and family members of those children will always remember you and the little things you did to help them hold it together.

Here are some other threads that will provide you with some different responses and viewpoints:

https://allnurses.com/oncology-nursing/whats-pediatric-oncology-835379.html

https://allnurses.com/oncology-nursing/pediatric-oncology-nursing-373745.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/pediatric-oncology-799660.html

https://allnurses.com/pediatric-nursing/pediatric-oncology-708882.html

https://allnurses.com/pediatric-nursing/any-pediatric-oncology-80908.html