allergyrn

It should be a BIG change from SNF. I came from a cardiac unit and it is totally different. I like that I actually have the time to sit and talk with my patients and answer their questions. The down side is that I miss the more 'clinical' procedures from the hospital. I was so used to a fast paced environment, that I miss the activity. But, as I said we will soon be doing a lot more hands-on tasks, so I'm looking forward to that. Allergy isn't something that I 'wanted' to do as a nurse, but it's a great schedule for my family and any experience is a good thing....I still have dreams of L&D nursing, so I may pick up some hours in maternity somehow just to keep that spark alive :)

Wow! I could have written that post! I also graduated in May 2010 and first job on telemetry- just as you described, terrible pts that should have been in the ICU half the time, we were supposed to have 4 pts on day shift and 5 on nights, my first night alone I had 7 and 1 of them was a trach pt. Always had nurses calling off and worked short-staffed. We did 12.5 hour shifts, so I rarely had any life outside of that unit. I absolutely hated it. I stayed 5 months and left. I couldn't take it anymore...I felt like I was carrying too much responsibility and wasn't ready for it. I would not have left if we were not planning to move out of the area, but it was such a relief to leave. I now work in a totally different environment and have none of that stress. I do have to say that I miss the more 'clinical' side of working there, but I NEVER want to work telemetry again. I am not a fan of floor nursing...at all. I'd love to work in a specialty area and I think that's the great thing about nursing - we have so many options, so many areas to end up. I took it as a learning experience, that's how we find ourselves. I know I am a good nurse (and I'm sure you know you are too) I'm just not meant to be a floor nurse (or god-forbid a telemetry nurse!). I'm sure you will find something you love. I have friends who work in psych and some love it, others have learned it's not for them, but they do it for the experience. I don't regret the time I spent there, nor the fact that I left, as my husband has said there's a huge difference in me since :) I now know to only apply for jobs that I think I'd LIKE, not just jobs I NEED. Best of luck to you! Keep us posted :)

I forgot to add- for the interview you should know that pts must be monitored approx 20 mins after injection for signs of adverse reactions and need monitored closely during testing for anaphylactic reactions. You will of course need up to date CPR, etc...good knowledge in monitoring & treating AR, etc...

Hi new grad :) I have training scheduled in a few weeks,but have found some info in the meantime. It will depend on what your duties will be - giving injections and monitoring for reactions, skin testing, mixing, etc... I currently do a lot of pt consults- provide pts with education, answer questions, submit scripts to pharmacy, etc. After the training I will be doing the testing on-site and then will also be mixing. We currently offer drops only, but may be adding injections....Let me know how your interview goes- once you start and know which tasks you are assigned I can provide more info :) Good Luck!!

I would start with checking the info/insert from each vaccine. Sometimes there will be info on what you can give in combo. If you want to verify, try calling your state DPW that handles your state vaccines. Even if the child is not a medicaide pt, they are a good info source. You might want to hold the Gardasil for another time- in my experience sometimes girls get light-headed, so we always gave it on its own. Not sure if that's much help, but it mightbe a place to start :)

I'm not exactly sure what the phases entail, but we do prescribe for pts who are not in clinical trials. One of our pts is actually a pharmacist and said that it didn't really matter. Right now, the pt signs a consent acknowledging that it's 'off-label' and then the physician signs the script. It is sent into a pharmacy and they ship it to us. The pharmacy will actually provide training to me on mixing (as long as we order supplies from them). The regulations on mixing for injectable form states that even an MA can do it, as long as they are properly trained. One of the physicians attended an aaoa course last year on SLIT therapy and they recommend employing an RN to oversee (hence, my position). There are no exact guidelines on mixing for SLIT since it is not widely used in the U.S. That's where the difficulty in finding info comes in.

Congratulations!! I cried for 2 days waiting on those results, what a weight lifted off of you, right? Way to go!

I love my Crocs!! They are the clog type with a full back. I was working 16 hour shifts when I bought them and they are the only thing that got me thru those days! They also really helped my lower back from becoming fatigued. I got them on clearance because they were pink for $10.

Thanks everyone...I do know that RN's can mix the allergens if they are for injections. They are not FDA approved d/t the route of administration. They are in the 3rd stage of FDA approval. I will try to contact someone from Pharmacy, the BON in FL takes absolutely forever to return any calls.

I have been working as an allergy nurse for 3 months and have been asked to train in mixing serums myself for allergy drop therapy. Right now, I mainly do pt education for the drops, order, deliver, etc. along with PFT's. I will soon be doing the skin testing and will prepare the antigen serum myself. If this were just for injections, I would not be apprehensive, but since the drops are "off label" I'm wondering if it's within my scope of practice to compound and deliver? I've tried finding info online on specific regulations and can't really find anything that states that RNs are allowed to mix for drops. Anyone doing this already??

I don't know of a nurse that can honestly say they have loved every day of their career. As with any life choice, not everything is perfect. I thought that if I made it thru nursing school, I had it made. When you pass your boards, you feel a huge weight lifted off of your shoulders....until you start working. And then you realize what an incredible amount of responsibility you have. But, as stressful as it can be, I do love it. And the best part is that there are so many facets of nursing there is surely a right fit for you. I went into school thinking that I wanted to be an OR nurse and came out wanted to be in maternity or wound care. You will have a chance to be exposed to new areas and may be totally surprised by what you like or don't like. Hang in there....you'll find yours :) Best of luck!

I am new to allergy nursing and need advice! I have a lot of office experience, but am new to ENT and immunology. Has anyone set up a practice before and have advice to offer? I have been hired to start the allergy portion to their practice and so far have implemented PFT's, lab testing, and patient education. We are offering allergy drops, not injections. I am looking for education and training resources for myself, as I do not have anyone there to train me. The physician are wonderful, but I'm looking for other nurses who have actually done this before! My main areas in question are guidelines on mixing- where to find state regulations, am I within my scope of practice to mix and dispense for use in allergy DROPS? I have tried searching on line for training or course offerings, but most are just info for physician or are ENT focued and my only have 1 or 2 allergy speakers for an entire week-long event, so it's not really worth it. Mostly, it would just be nice to have a fellow-allergy nurse to chat with :) Also wondering if you get bored?? I have been in this position for 3 months and am already missing 'clinical action'. Thinking of maybe picking up an occasional shift somewhere. I should also mention that I am a new nurse. I had been a medical assistant for 9 years prior to going to nursing school. Became an RN last year, worked 4 months on a cardiac unit (hated it) and then accepted current allergy position. Very interested in maternity or traumatic wound care. I'd love to talk with other nurses who could offer advice!