sdeal

Great, thank you for the information; gives somewhere to start looking. Currently working on the BSN, one more quarter, and working on my OCN certification. Hopefully that will make me a competitive applicant when I begin searching. Competition is very stiff out here too, a lot of nurses not finding work.

So I am an oncology infusion nurse, currently living in Seattle. I am strongly considering a move to the eastcoast, needing a change! Does anyone who has lived, worked or spent time in Boston or NYC have any reccomendations regarding facilities to look into???

That is absolutely not normal! I'm with IVRUS, dye study, don't use PAC until results available. Obviously the risks associated with a defective device depend on what you are infusing. But if harm does occur it will fall back on you! First and foremost, protect your patient, also, protect yourself! "The doctor said so" isn't a valid excuse! Good luck!

I have heard from pts that their PICC lines showed up on their bill for approximatley $15K. Crazy.

A valved PICC line (one that is closed and does not need to be heparinized) does not have clamps for you to manipulate; however a non valved PICC line (one that is open and needing to be heparinized) will have clamps for you to open when using and to close after flushing off. So if you see a PICC with clamps, it is certainly non-valved and if you don't see clamps, it certainly is valved. I worked at University of Washington Medical Center for a number of years and this how we were taught to differentiate. It was not uncommon though to have a pt with a valved PICC that would repeatedly need tPA due to clotting off, so there are the occassional pts that do need their valved PICCs heparinized. Here is just some general stuff, common P&P from facilities I have worked in... In an inpt setting it is standard to flush and check blood return in the PICC Q8H. In outpt setting it is done on a Qday basis, the pts should know how to do this and have the supplies at home. You may already know this, but anytime you draw back blood you ALWAYS flush with 20mL NS, otherwise 10mL is acceptable. PICC dsgs need to be changed QW & PRN using sterile technique (chloraprep cleanse, biopatch, sorbaview or tegaderm type dsg, stat-lock, etc.). Claves should be changed at this time as well, otherwise Q3day. You should measure for a change in external length while changing the dsg, anything greater than 2cm is concerning - some facilities require CXR to reconfirm placement at that point.

Yeah, thats a sticky situation. If anything at all goes wrong, whether related to being under the influence of the medication or not, they will likely consider you to have been practicing under the influence of a medication and go aftr your license. If someone is so anxious about their work place that they have to self medicate, perhaps they should consider finding a new work environment or career!

In my facility all orders are written with black ink, however when the RN signs off on the order it is done with red ink so that their writing does not interfering with anyone being able to read the actual order.

So I currently work as an oncology nurse. Love oncology, hate the bedside. So I've applied for and have an interview in the infusion center of a prominent medical center here in Seattle. Any tips or suggestions on how to relate to or impress the interviewer??? Thanks!