NurseKate16

I always thought the metallic taste was from the heparin flush? My patients complain at the end when I flush their port with heparin, and then again at their next treatment when I use saline to flush the port again (we were told this is because the old heparin is flushing through). Is that not the case? I never thought it was the saline.

I took it last year. It was difficult and it even lists it as a course for experienced chemo nurses. However, I was required to take it before ever being around chemo. I passed it, but I don't think I got as much out of the course as I should of because I was focusing on passing and the content being questioned, not the entire content.

I was feeling emotional and was deep in thought one night at my son's football practice so I posted the following on facebook. I got quite a response so I thought I'd share my thoughts here too:-) I hear a lot of questions/comments when people find out that I am a chemo nurse: You choose to work with cancer patients..on purpose?” Are you crazy?” Isn't that kind of morbid?” I don't know how you do it.” Instead of answering each question individually, I think I can sum up my feelings a bit better in my following paragraph: Jean Watson (a famous nursing theorist), refers to The Caring Moment” in many of her works. This is defined as any interaction between nurse and patient during which each party feels a connection with the other at a spiritual level. I have found that since becoming an Oncology/Chemo nurse 1 year ago, I have had more and more of these moments. These moments are very meaningful and help reiterate in my mind that I chose the right profession when I decided to become a nurse. This last year has been the most emotionally trying time for me since entering the medical field 10 years ago. It has also been the most rewarding year of my career, BY FAR. The joy I feel when I get to watch a patient ring the bell at the end of their treatment and the satisfaction I get from being there for my patients during what can be their most vulnerable times eclipses the sad moments that I have experienced. However, those sad moments have their own meaning too. These moments help to remind me the importance of appreciating every minute of every day and remind me to live life to the absolute fullest. My patients have taught me things I could have never learned in nursing school. They've shown an indescribable level of strength and they have a more positive outlook on life than most people. Words cannot describe the awe I experience when I look at my patients, and the trials they've had to face. Yet, every day they show up for their treatments smiling. My chemo patients are the most incredible people I know. There's not really an easy way to say it...but my patients ROCK! So when you ask me why I make a choice every day to go to work and spend my day giving chemo to cancer patients….that's why!

Agreed, stabilization is key and it's better to be firm with the stick like it's a thumb tack. It goes in smoother and is less painful than a slow break of the skin. I have only been doing this about a year but am very comfortable with ports. We have one surgeon who puts them very deep in the patients breast and we use 1.5 inch hubers... they are super deep. I never hesitate to take my time feeling for the port and getting a good hold of it before even picking up the needle with my other hand. Especially with the deeper ports it's important to feel and know you've got a good grasp on it.

I can honestly and wholeheartedly say I love being a nurse. This is my second nursing job and third in the healthcare field ( I was a nursing assistant/unit secretary prior to graduating). I love being a nurse and knew once I became a nursing assistant during college that I was going into the right profession. My current job makes me very happy and I love the staff I work with, the patients, and learning every day. I know there are days we all get stressed, days doctors treat us poorly, or we are tired and overwhelmed. However, I feel that my job is rewarding, and interesting, and challenging. I wouldn't change it for the world:-)

Hello everyone! I will be completing my RN to BSN program in June. I am attending University of Phoenix online. I know the school doesn't have the greatest reputation so for my MSN I would like to select a more reputable school that offers the MSN program online. I have heard some good things about Regis University but I can't find much online as far as whether employers consider it to be a reputable university. I have heard that employers will just laugh off degrees from places like University of Phoenix so I don't want that to happen to me with wherever I get my MSN from. Does anyone know anything about this University or their MSN program?

I emailed HR to follow up and just let them know again I am interested and they replied "Kate thank you for the email. We are still in the process of reviewing candidates, and will be in touch a bit later in the process. thanks"... So we will see...

No but I know it's a great hospital! Good luck!

Going to UOP( or attending online)? I am !!! Hi everyone!!

Congrats and good luck!

I have been a Registered Nurse for two years at a Urology Office Based Surgery Center. I was a Nursing Assistant for 5 years in the hospital on the post-surgical floor and I worked a bit in the float pool. I am currently working towards my BSN. I'm a single mom and I commute very far to work and I am just exhausted because of it. I was just starting to begin looking into the idea of getting a new job and I posted my resume on LinkedIn. I received an email from a large Urology group looking for a Registered Nurse for their new office that was opening (one of the doctors from the group was going to be opening an additional office to use for urogynecology). I decided to accept an interview and it was very laid back and the Human Resources director was very nice ( and happened to work at the hospital I had worked at). She didn't ask me any crazy questions that I struggled to answer. We talked a lot about my experience with Joint Commission because my current office just received accreditation and I was involved in the process. She told me about their tuition reimbursement program, their benefits, mentioned being aware that I will need to give two weeks notice at my job, told me about salary, and asked me to stay 20 minutes to meet with their Executive Director. The Executive Director mentioned me possibly meeting with the doctor one day after work at my current job. I thanked them and left. I followed up the next day with an email thanking them for the interview, stating that I am very interested, etc etc. It has now been two weeks and I haven't heard anything at all. I am very discouraged. It seemed like they were giving me all of the details and they were speaking as if they would hire me. I don't know if they are just interviewing other people ( I was the first one because she had contacted me before even posting the job), if there is a delay because the office is not technically opened yet, or if they are just not interested in me. Any thoughts? How long before I completely give up hope and know they aren't hiring me. The job is still posted on careerbuilder and I know from talking to my mom (Shes an OR nurse that works with people who know the doctor) that he hasn't officially opened the office at least ( I don't know if anyone has been hired for either RN position). I plan on sending my resume out to a few other places but was just trying to see if I could get this job first.

Bayada and Visiting Nurse's of New Jersey are the first two that come to mind.

When I worked at Saint Clare's Hospital they paid for my tuition. They offered this as soon as I started working for them. There are also sometimes smaller organizations or surgicenters that offer this.

If that's what you want to do, go for it. You can also get your Associate's in Nursing at a County College so you can start working sooner as a RN and if you want your BSN later you can continue after becoming licensed. Where do you live?

I too treat them with the same respect as I would if they are living and simply care for them how I would want my family members to be treated if they had passed away. I might feel a little sad but never have lost my composure and I simply see it as another part of the job and I take it very seriously.