Please give me advice!

[INLUVINAZ]

I am currently going to school, working on pre-reqs, but I am confused as to what I want to do. My brother had cancer at age 16, so I feel a calling to be a pediatric oncology nurse. But I am trying to find out for those of you working in that department, what is it like? Is it depressing? Does it affect your everyday life in a negative way? What are the normal hours you work? I worry about the hours because my husband and I are very close and don't like to be away from each other. Ideally I would like to work early morning shifts and get off in the afternoon and have weekends off. I know that may be far fetched but don't know for sure. Can someone please tell me what the hours are like?

I am struggling between a nursing and teaching career. Both rewarding but I want to make the right decision. Please give me any advice you can and let me know what hours to expect if I were to work in ped oncology. Thank you so much.

Jamie

[HommerRN]

I am an oncology RN. I work day/evening which means I work some days (7am to 3:30pm) then when I work evenings I work 3:00 to 11:30pm. where I work you can not get straight days until you are eligible for shift of choice which is usually after 20 years. we are a union facility so it might be different for non-union. The work can be sad, but very rewardings....the patients and families make it all worth while. we are required to work every other weekend or if you work 12 hour weekends you can work every third weekend. if you don't want to work weekends you might be better off going the clinic route or a day surgery center because they don't usually work weekends or holidays. I hope that helps.

Deb

[FLONCNURSE]

Hi, Iam non union where I work. I work with peds and adults onc pts in a BMT outpatient clinic. I love working with children and find many days where I feel rewarded working with these children. It is truly a blessing seeing them overcome obstacles and bonding with their families. It is not always depressing. Cancer is not always death. It takes a dedicated and special individual to be an oncology nurse. Being a new nurse you cant pick an choose your hours or days to work. Where I work it takes senority and grace of god to get a day shift with set schedule. I have been a nurse for ten years and it is very rare I leave on time. I cant give report to another nurse and leave. I leave when the infusions and work is done. Being a nurse you must be flexibile. I have missed alot of family time, but I am blessed to have a family so understanding. I look at it as, I am so blessed to have a healthy family. You are the only one who can make your own decision. Maybe look into another aspect of nursing. You could always be a nurse educator. Then you can fill both aspects. Best of luck to you. Being a teacher I think is even harder and underpaid.