julieK

Your questions are quite broad - I will do my best to give you an idea about NYC. Most people who work in Manhattan do not live in Manhattan. It is much more common to live in Brooklyn/Queens/Bronx and commute via subway. And if you live near to public transportation, your life will be much less complicated (and cheaper) without a car. Parking can be near impossible depending on what neighborhood you settle on. As far as living accomodations, it really depends on where you are and what you can afford. There is such a variety here - some of the richest people in the country live here, but also some of the poorest. If you're considering working in NYP (168th St), some cheaper options are Washington Heights or the Bronx. Mount Sinai you could live in Queens or in the South Bronx (not as nice an area as the North). NYU you might be able to live in Brooklyn or Queens. Wherever you decide, just make sure you get a feel for the neighborhood first, since many areas are heavily populated with certain nationalities and you may or may not feel comfortable. Good luck.

My answer will be a little different, since I don't work on an inpatient unit. I work in an outpatient infusion center, so our ratio doesn't really change with a Rituxan patient, first time or otherwise, b/c at any given moment we could be caring for a Rituxan, blood transfusion, first time taxane, or any other patient with high risk for reaction, but we always have 2-3 nurses monitoring about 10-11 patients who are in full view (and an additional 3 who are in bedrooms which are very close by). It's so much less stressful than on a regular floor where you can't really monitor your patients as closely.

Congrats to all! I passed mine just before the summer and was relieved. My suggestion is to read through the core curriculum, but to really focus on the study guide and just do every single question and then go back over the ones you miss in the core curriculum. Good luck!

I didn't "choose" oncology, so to speak, but it happened to be the unit for which I interviewed following school where I clicked with the manager and so started the job right after school. The advantage of working oncology especially as a new grad is that you'll learn most everything you would have learned on a medical floor plus all the onc-related stuff. Cancer patients tend to have multi-system problems and can be complicated so you will definitely use your critical thinking. You will also get experience in accessing and managing central lines and multiple iv-infusions. Good luck, Julie in NYC

This document details which medications one should avoid actually taking oneself during breastfeeding. It does not seem to give information regarding potential contact with these drugs.

I have worked in onc during pregnancies and breastfeeding. The thing to worry about is not necessarily only during these times, b/c exposure can potentially do harm to your reproductive cells over time. So, whether you're a man or a woman, pregnant or just trying to conceive, this is a concern for everyone. Limit your exposure to the chemo itself and to the body fluids of the patient who's either getting the chemo or has gotten it within the last 24-48 hours. If you are gong to take care of a patient getting radiation, you can call the radiation department to ask if distance is necessary. Good luck. -Julie in NYC

This is so true. The support of your co-workers can make or break your ability to continue working through a pregnancy. I worked until 38 weeks with my first, but I was working on a med onc floor. Very busy and on my feet 95% of the time, but not an ER situation by any means. My co-workers were pretty supportive, but there was one (who had never had kids of her own) who was known to prance around the floor, saying, "Pregnancy is a natural state. It's NOT a state of disability." Quite annoying. -Julie in NYC

No need to stress, though I know what you're going through. I am going through the same thing. I got a dirty needlestick when a huber safety needle failed to retract. The pt tested negative initially, and it was such a superficial stick - only barely drew any blood. I have been reassured that the risk is absolutely minimal, but I still have to get tested in 6 months and again at a year. I'm pregnant, too, so there you have it.... There is nothing to be gained by obsessing about it night and day. Nothing you can do about it now. What works for me is knowing that there's no reason to worry until there's something to worry about. Good luck. -Julie in NYC

We use only ports for IP chemo. I know nothing about fda approval. Good luck...

The thing that killed me about "Bringing Home Baby" was how in order all the moms' homes seem to be, even after bringing home their first baby. My house was an absolute disaster for at least 2 months after I had my son, and these mothers are cooking actual meals with actual courses and silverware on a table that is actually a clear surface!!!!! -Julie in NYC

Decadron is definitely compatible with NS. I work in an infusion center and we use it all the time. I have never heard of an indication for an IV push Decadron. Doesn't that cause the perineal burning? That happened to one of my patients once when I accidentally let it run in too fast. -Julie in NYC

http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments This site is pretty comprehensive. Good luck!

We hang chemo the way you're describing: A bag of NS as the mainline and connecting the chemo through the pump at the most proximal port to the patient. We clamp off the NS right at the port, so in the even of a reaction, it's maybe a few inches of chemo going into the patient before the NS hits. -Julie in NYC

I work in an outpatient chemo infusion center that is part of a major NYC hospital. We don't make any more money than any other nurse. In fact, I switched jobs from inpatient to outpatient and it was considered a "lateral move." Not a promotion or anything like that. It's just another kind of nursing out of many, many kinds.

This question is pretty broad, especially since my area is oncology. I specifically work in a chemotherapy infusion center, so I suppose the research needs would include areas with really bad prognoses, such as lung cancer or pancreatic, or glioblastoma multiforme. I know they are not really nursing related, but If I had unlimited resources, I would promote prevention and screening!! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Good luck.