nanablue2

Congratulations ChemoRN...I passed too!!! Isn't it a great feeling! I know for me it was a personal goal and I studied very hard. Julie,SN, I recommend the Core Curriculum for Oncology Nursing and the companion study guide to prepare. Also found the practice tests offered by ONS very helpful. I paced myself and really started reveiwing about 6 months in advance. I thought the test was pretty hard but I felt prepared. One of my colleagues who has over 5 years experience spent only 2 weeks studying and she did not pass. Just remember there is a lot of material to cover and the more practice questions you can do the better. Good luck to you. I understand the computerized test will be available in 2002. Took me about 4 hours to complete the paper/pencil version. NanaBlue2

Taking the OCN Test next Saturday and have been preparing for months. Getting last minute jitters. Any words of wisdom? What did you use to review and or study? My CNS said that the Core Curriculum for Oncology Nursing covers it all. Thanks in advance for sharing?

Does charge nurse = "bad guy" where you work? Do you meet with daily arguments from staff about the assignments you made no matter how fair you try to be? Does everyone run when you have an admit coming and give you a million reasons why they shouldn't have to take a patient? I do my best to staff and make assignment based on acuity and experience but some nurses look at numbers only and argue that they have more patients than the next guy. It reminds me of when my kids were little and someone got the bigger/smaller cookie. It is a nightly headache I don't want and wondered if anyone else has to go through this night after night? I have two new graduates that will be precepting on our shift soon and dread their witnessing this constant argument. Don't tell me to go to management because they say work it out, they don't care. (I work the 3-11 shift and they usually go home). Any creative or win win ideas would be greatly appreciated. By the way, for this headache I get a full patient load myself, deal with patient, physician and other problems and get paid a dollar an hour more.

I've seen this type of response to compazine. It's in a class of drugs known as phenothiazines. You may also see it with phenergan. Parients have described an overwhelming fear of losing control and wanting to run. I've seen previously calm patients become suddenly agitated and restless following administration of these drugs. While not common, it occurs often enough for the nurses on our unit to choose alternative anti-emetics.

Our hospital claims they do not require mandatory overtime. WHat is this? We are frequently told that if administration cannot staff the next shift it is considered patient abandonment if you do not voluntarily stay for a double. Can this be done?

There are days when I feel like I am reaarranging deck chairs on the titanic during my shift but I can honestly say that despite short staffing, bad attitudes of co-workers, and pay issues, there is rarely a night that I don't feel really great about something I did that made a difference in a patient's day. Last night a family member of a cancer patient in my care with chronic pain told me that he is awestruck at the unselfishness of nurses and asked me if I knew that the public views us with the highest regard. I don't do it for the complements but moments like these remind me that what we do is so very valuable and there are few professions that give back to you in this way.

The hospital I work for in Dallas, Texas starts new grads at 16.25 hour with 3.50 evening, 4.50 nights and 9.00 weekend diffs.