onco gal

Sorry, but all RN's are not equal. Those RN's who take the time and spend the money on certifications and education should be paid more if their performance warrants it. At our facility they base pay on experience when you are hired. We have had nurses with 25-30 yrs of "experience" that still do not know how to think critically and are just doing their time. Because of the shortage holes are being filled period. Everyone should be alarmed by this. We are all being told we have to learn more for the same pay. But those of us who are willing to go the "extra mile" (and this should always be a matter of choice) don't get a dime more.

There is a lot to be said about the situation, attitudes and responses. First of all, on the surface, it was not a good assignment, but this is also part of your learning experience. While a student, I never started an IV and my first catheter placement was in OB with a lady whose bladder was about to burst because she had no feeling secondary to an epidural placement. That was my only experience with catheters. But I learned a tremendous amount about interaction among nurses. I "cut my teeth" after I graduated on a med surg floor in a small community hospital that had all levels of patient populations and peds. I also made most of my "mistakes" there. My nursing instructors were tough as were my clinicals. I was humble to the nurses during my clinicals because I had not walked a mile in there shoes and their job was not to teach, guide or train me. That was and should be the job of their instructor. This is the bottom line. I always ask the instructor when I have a procedure that the students may want to perform, under "her direction" not mine, and most important always, is whether or not the patient will agree to have a student be involved in their care. You will learn and become proficient in the technical skills, however, the interpersonal skills are a continuing challenge of nursing. Instead of resenting the travel nurse, you could have taken the higher road and said "since we are in this together, I am willing to help you get through the shift as much as I can". I cringe when I have heard nursing students say, I am not going to nursing school to "wipe butts". What better way to assess your patient's skin? Think about the patient first, not your own inconvenience. You will learn the technical skills I promise you!

The more we lessen the precautions, the more infections and deaths occur.

I had to sound like cynical but, the Doctors are making a fortune by giving chemo on an op basis. 8-9 yrs ago it was being given in op setting in the hospitals, now nurses are mixing and giving it in the Drs offices. Chemo is "another drug", but they need to be respected and ONLY Chemo ceritifed RN's should be giving it and monitoring the patients for side effect.

No offense taken, however, it concerns me greatly to read that there are nurses out there that are caring for and being told to give chemo to our patient population. Frankly I do not think that ONS is doing much to elevate our certification and importance as in most hospitals we are not considered "critical care". I currently work part time bone marrow transplant, in addition to heme-onco in another hospital. I am also required to do telemetry and cardiac drips on the heme-onco unit and be ACLS certified as well.

I don't know how long you have been involved in nursing or oncology. I have been an oncology nurse for many years and have also worked bone marrow transplant and given chemo in the home. I am not out to prove anything. In addition, I am currently involved in setting up a new oncology orientation program in a local hospital over and above my current duties. Please do not speak to me as if I was not informed or very well experienced in my field.

I am an Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN). This requires a minimum of 1000 hrs logged in Oncology nursing and at least 10 CEU credits to APPLY sit for the certification test by the Oncology Nursing Society. You have to pass the test to earn the certification and title.There is definitely such a thing as being certified.

Only certified oncology nurses should be hanging Chemo. I have seen severe allergic reactions even with the appropriate pre-meds. Taxol is especially notorious for this and we ususally have the crash cart outside the door as an added precaution.

At our hospital we are "flexed off" if they can't "float us to another unit, when our census is low. Rather than "flex" everyone, they ask if we will take call at $3/hr. If we are called in we are paid time and a half. But we are not on call for 12 hr, However, I have been called in as late as 3pm. This is the only hospital I have worked that has this crazy call stuff!