tapj28

Hi Ashley66 You can attend which ever nursing school program that you can afford after you decide which degree you are pursuing. Do you want to be an Licensed practical nurse (LPN) or an RN with a diploma, associates, or bachelors nursing degree. After you determine how long you can be in school, and whether you want to be an RN or not, choose the nursing school that you are qualified for (based on GPA) and can afford. Start now if you haven't already...I'm told there are waiting lists for RN students in many areas. However, most hospitals will help you with tuition if you promise to work for them after graduation, and there are others which will pay off some loans after you are hired. Hope this helps, much success to you...don't be surprised if you change your mind about specialty during school or afterwards. Keep an open mind about where you'll end up, you may find you like something else far better. Much success to you...

Hi ChrisF, I agree totally with you and Blondy206. There are practice guidelines in ONS for the neutropenic patient. You can also Google the term "treatment of the pancytopenic patient"...it will give you the basis for the practice guidelines. Overall, it is best to have a direct admit protocol for these patients. We have standing orders, the fellow is notified of the patients admission by the charge nurse who speaks directly to the patient (I care for adults) who is at home, and based on the information received from them and from their electronic clinic record (which we can access from our unit), is instructed to come in (to our unit) right away or go to clinic in morning. We have this type of autonomy, where we actually let the physician know that the patient is coming in, the basis for why, and she/he is notified after the patient arrives on unit and their workup is initiated by nursing - based on the written protocol. This process has saved many lives, and if the admitting nurse/fellow feels the patient is in danger, a ICU bed is arranged immediately. There is NO ER involvement with our BMT patients...if a oncology patient arrives there, they will call our unit and ask for advice for where they go...if not to us. For starters, a team of pharmacy, CNS, Medical Director, Admissions rep, Nurse Mgr, staff nurses, lab administration rep, can facilitate the writing of neutropenic patient protocol, standing orders, practice guidelines. Nurses are essential in the writing of this protocol. Hope this helps...take care.

Hi GoLytely, The statement, "manage to hold onto your license"...meant it sounds like from the facility description, you may be presented with some instances where it (your license) may be at risk. BTW...I couldn't help it - I enjoyed your last post...you are funny!! You could write a book about this experience, and I believe nurses would buy it...because many of us may relate to what you describe so clearly (and to me, humorously) of the job interview to the unit tour. ["It's all coming back to me like a dream in slow motion now. All the people I was introduced to, now their welcoming words and smiles seem demonic, and you know how they talk very calmly and their eyes linger on you even when they're turning away? They told me God sent me to them...what's next? Poison Kool-Aid? Now all those old folks crumpled up in those beds on ventilators seem like a part of a bad nightmare."] I tried, but perhaps have been of no help to you in this. Please forgive me if what I've said contributed to your nervousness. It does sound like whipping girl may be able to offer you the best help right now. Take care friend.

Dear GoLytely, From the situation you describe, for sure you will get some of the best experience as a nurse if you can manage to hold on to your license long enough to make it count. In the current economic climate in which we live, please be sure to secure a 'certain' next job before you leave this. Give it about six months if you can stick it out that long...but be sure to secure another confirmed job before you leave. Also, it will serve you will to give at least two weeks notice. Take good care, I hope our wisdom will be of use to you.