OccHealthNurs

Great information KelRN, thank you so much for your response. I have not worked in the hospital that much as an occupational health nurse, so I haven't seen what a lot of institutions do. However, I have never heard of Onc nurses saying they were monitored in any way, and I haven't read articles about it in the literature either. There was some research done in the early days of Occupational Health where and when there were no safeguards and precautions in place for nurses administering chemo, and they found some troubling lab values in the nurses involved. But those were a long time ago. We are just asking the questions at this time to try to find out more about what is being done. Thank you again for responding.

I used to have the same issues with EMS constantly. I would somewhat frequently have to call them to transport employees in an occupational health setting. Most were not injured (although a few were), but these were low-wage contract labor, young employees that worked too many hours (unlimited overtime and two jobs), didn't drink fluids, and didn't sleep enough. Oh, and let's not forget about drug use. I had everything show up in the clinic from fractures, to kidney stones, to chest pain, to a stroke, and I often had to go pick up employees having seizures, low blood sugar, etc. If it was not a very obvious transport need, they would often try to talk the employee out of being transported! They would hand out "diagnoses" like they were doctors. Grrrrrrrr! But, it was highly dependent upon which crew I got when I called. There was a particular paramedic in charge that thought he knew everything, and we went head to head about my patients all the time. Other crews were fine. I am a well educated RN and I definitely would not have called them if I thought it was something that could wait, a family member could handle, or a list of other options was worth considering. I called them because they needed transported. Glad you stood your ground. In my 24 year RN career, I know that I have saved a few lives by digging in my heels and refusing to let condescending people make the wrong decision for someone that needed medical attention.

I would like to hear from any Oncology Nurses (or Pharmacists) that work in the hospital administering chemotherapy or mixing it. What does your institution do for you as far as biological monitoring? Do you get a yearly physical exam given by your institution, do they draw blood once a year (or more)? How are you monitored. Urine tests? And have any of you ever been affected adversely by long term exposure? Many thanks.