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One night I had a patient up in her chair and posied in (when we where allowed to posy patient in chairs) and the TV was on and old movie. I left the room and a few minutes later she was screaming for a life jacket. I went back in the room and on the TV was the 1930's version of the Titanic. We spent the whole night looking for dead bodies. I was making my night rounds one night and kept finding this one patient out of bed. Kept tracking him down and tucking him back in. Halfway through the night we couldn't find him. He had crawled into bed with another patient who had a trach and was unable to the calllight because the first patient was laying on his arm. the trach patient obviously couldn't shout for help. And my all time favorite. I was walking into the hospital one night with a supervisor and a naked patient was standing in the window on the psych unit with a sign. Since he was on the fourth floor we couldn't read his sign, but the Super went up to the unit and the sign said " Help me! I'm being held prisoner here."

That is why there are 3 shifts of nurses. We all take care of the patient and if the nurse is "upset", that's her issue to deal with. You did your job and she is responsible for what occurs on her shift. I always appreciate a call to let me know about something. We multitask and cover other areas and we most of all are human. AND I still wake up and think of things after 24 years of nursing.

Our hospital is currently being managed by Wellspring Partners Ltd. I am wondering how other hospitals fair after Wellspring has managed them, eliminated many staff positions and completely altered all the staffing patterns. Thanks for your help.

We have 3 RNs. One is the pharmacist and the other 2 work the room starting IVs/ports, drawing blood, giving injections...We have 12 chairs and one bed. We have a phlebotomist in the room too. We average 10-15 chemos daily and see average 20-28 total patients in the infusion room. We run all day long.

Did you have chemo training and get certified? 2 Registered nurses should always check chemo before it is hung. They should be able to pull a more experienced nurse to your shift to assist you. Follow ONS guidelines and stand firm this is ultimately your licenses on the line, your livelihood. Make sure you are following safe nursing practices. Good luck.

I too work in a clinic where the nurse does the mixing. All 3 of the nurses in the infusion room mix. We have a Laminar flow hood that rivals the main campus pharmacy. Use your gloves, sleeve guards and always mix with respect. Learn about the drugs and handling them with care. Wash your hands after each session in the hood. ALWAYS ALWAYS read the package insert on mixing and administration and re-read it if you have any doubts. Call the pharmacist and ask questions. I've been doing it for almost 8 years now. Also, ask about training wiht a pharmacist who mixes chemo on a routine basis.

Inpatient unit or Outpatient unit? The ONS website in May 2006(?) gave staffing aquity level of 3.8 patients per nurse in the outpatient setting based on a study and aquity tool developed by Sloane Kettering Memorial Hospital. I have attempted to find the information and article to no avail. Good luck!

VOMIT!!!!!! I can't stand vomit!!!!!!! I am in the pan next to them!!!!!! All my years on Oncology and I still can't stand vomit!!!!! The 20 something young lady who was brought in by EMS for running down the street on New Years eve in her Mickey Mouse underwear who had slammed 2 bottles of "Tickle me pink" Boone's Farm and promptly threw up on my NEW shoes. Ortho injuries are right up there. The ankle hanging and swaying off the leg!! Dislocations!!! You name it.

When I started in Oncology 17 years ago (LPN then RN) we used strict Neutropenic Precautions. Things have really relaxed in the past 10 years. Now we post the precautions but the door is open, we don't mask the patients in hallways...we still do not allow plants/flowers or fresh veggies/fruit. In the office setting, we teach the precautios but encourage our patients to go out at low traffic time to stores, restaurants...