happynurse1

hi there..i am a bmt/oncology nurse. i work in bmt but have done some oncology...only inpatient. my best advice to you is be patient and caring. these patients are going thru so much. but they so appreciate you and all you do. when you are hurried and tired and wanting to get home, someone will need you to reassure them. just stop and take the time to listen. they have so many questions. you will need to keep yourself up to date on the latest information and advances because they will know them! these patients are so informed about their health and how things are going for them. teach them to question and keep a copy of all their blood counts. they need to know when their wbc and platelets drop. teach them when to avoid fresh flowers, fresh fruits, etc. the importance of good hygiene and staying away from sick people. make sure that their nausea is under control and they have no pain. notice when their hair grows back and tell them how good they look..that is so important to them. good luck!! oncology is wonderful!! and you grow to love your patients!

i can tell you that my patients say..it is the doctor's technique. if the doc is not good at the procedure then it hurts. i have been present for many bone marrow aspirations and the pre-med will take the edge off but it can be uncomfortable. you will probably heal quickly and have very little bleeding or pain after the procedure. it is a local that they use at the site.what a wonderful thing to do..i have so many patients waiting for a match. good for you!!

i also cut off at 75 when i took the broads...i was so afraid!! i cried all the way home and swear i had failed!! i called my whole family and said..oh no, i failed..and when it stopped at question 75, i said, no!! please just one more!! well..i passed!! so i will keep my fingers crossed for you!! let us know..!!! good luck and i think you can stop worrying!!

You know..the only course you mentioned that i found difficult was a&p just because of the amount of information you have to remember. The rest are just time consuming..writing the papers, etc. Mirco isn't that bad. I think for me, the worst part of that was just taking the time to write up the lab assignments very week. I took a&p separate from mirco. Just easier for me! Good luck!!

i am a rn but i do travel. i love it! work for nurses rx and my recruiter is wonderful. i call her and tell her where i want to go next and she finds me an assignment in that area and i decide whether i want to go or not! i have met so many nice people and learned so much. all facilities are different and do things different. then there is the experience of being in another part of the country. the good thing..if you find once you are in, that you really don't like the facility..it is only for 13 weeks. and my feeling..i can deal with anything for 13 weeks. i am in chicago now and at a large teaching hospital. while that has been fun, the best way is living in old town chicago!! wow!! i can walk out of the apt they rented for me and go to a comedy club, pubs, the grocery store, get my nails done..you name it! and the magnificient mile is within walking distance!! my next stop..nc at duke! travelling is the best of all worlds.

i am a bone marrow transplant nurse..i can guess what the disorder is ... how is she doing..i hope ok!! if you need any help..please let me know!!

oh..i know!!! i can't imagine you're pain..i am so grateful my mom is still alive!!! i hate to think what it will be like when she dies. and i know what you mean..i love oncology nursing..i feel so happy when i go to work..sad sometimes.but happy!! i worked in an icu unit..just not happening for me!! too much drama..haha!! i am 48!! oh my!! did i say that!!! and my desire is to teach!! i want new nurses to see how great nursing is..hard..very hard!! but so wonderful!!! well i have to work tonight..night shift..i hate it!! but with travelling..you do alot of night shifts..haha!!! wouldn't change a thing!!!

no question is stupid!! to answer your question..H&H is a hemoglobin and hematocrit. hemoglobin is the am't of oxygen carrying protein within the red blood cells..hematocrit is the no. of red blood cells in the total blood volume. normal values will vary depending on the lab used but with hemoglobin..in men it is around 14 to 16 and women 12 to 15. with hemocrit..in men 42 to 50 and women 38 to 47. what was wrong with this patient? hope that helped!! and we need nurses!!! great choice of career!!

hi there..i am new to this website and i am also a bone marrow transplant nurse who has worked with transplant patients for 4 years. it is hard but so rewarding. i am also a traveler and i have a mom with cancer. i have also worked in hospice. i think that has helped with seeing how the docs live in denial and are not always as honest as they should be. i am sure there are alot of reasons for it but who knows. i can tell you that any big teaching facility you go to .. they will say..these patients come here as a last resort..we are their last hope. i have worked in 3 places that believe they are the only hope..haha!!! but really, i hope you can hang in there. we need caring transplant nurses. and you know..it is ok to cry in front of a patient's family! i have been there when many patients have died. i remember them all but one touched me in a special way. she was 21 and had had 2 transplants...her dad would sit at her bedside and take such wonderful care of her. they were such a special family and we all got close to her and the family. when she died, the sun came out and her dad said..look she is smiling..we all cried including the doctor! while that is sad, i was so honored to be part of that experience. i am still in touch with that family today. and there are successes..we don't always see them because they go to the clinic and then home. i am still in touch with some of my transplant patients. they send me pics and email me! of course, i will not lie, more die than live but i would never trade my experiences for any other type of nursing! i hope that helped!