FLONCNURSE

Hello, I have a question for anyone who works in harvesting stem cells for Allo/Auto BMT patients. Is there a national certification or just a test held by ASFA? Also, for pediatric patients how do you calculate their TBV, what do you prime your machine with? whole blood or i unit of diluted PRBC equivalant to the child HCT? I would like to find any nurse working in this area to assist with other question. Please help...

Davoni, What is meant to be will be. Keep your options open. Dont become discouraged. Dont do Kieser college. Did you try other community colleges and universities in Florida? Are you willing to relocate? Try Gainesville area, UCF, Florida Hospital has a program and is very good reputation. Also, Palm Beach Community College. There are several out there you just have to do alot of the footwork. Good Luck fellow nurse.

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.

Hi, I work in an outpatient bonemarrow clinic within the hospital and work at an oncologist office part-time giving chemo. I agree with working on a regular onc. floor that you dont have time to know your pts or give the quality of care they deservice, but its a learning experience as a new nurse to improve your organizational skills. I enjoy working within the clinic because it has allowed me to have a great bond with my patients and I cherish that very much, but it can also be very hectic with 40 pts a day. The patients like the familiarity and I know their allergies and dislikes. It is very rewarding, but it takes a nurse with alot of autonomy and strong assessment skills you can only learn by being on the floor a while longer. At the doctors office they come in and out like cattle and I am one nurse with fifteen patients, mixing chemo, doing PIV, blood draws and reviwing labs, access ports. You don't get to spend quality time. You know them and they know you, but that is it. Your best bet is to sharpen up on your chemo drugs , side effects and assessment skills before traveling off to an outpatient chemo clinic or oncology office. Be strong in your skills and area of expertise. You are the patient advocate and generally its the nurse who identifies the patients problems way before the MD's. Hang in there if this is what you truly desire. In the long run it will be beneficial to you and your patients. FLONCNURSE...