What is the worst thing you've witnessed as an oncology nurse?

leslie :-D · Jul 23, 2004

I've seen a lot of people die and witnessing such an event continues to be both humbling and sad for me. On the positive side, people who die with confidence and at peace with life and their impending death brings a lot of hope to my heart. I've witnessed many such deaths. To my weary heart, it brings hope that death can be very peaceful and that there just might be some kind of continuation of life after death.
Ted

i so agree with you ted. i've seen the peaceful and not so peaceful...but seeing the transition as it should be, you can almost see where they're going. and yes, i 100% believe that it is a continuum, as i've had a couple of my long term patients come back to let me know they were ok.... , as well as others that have left this life. all that leave this earth are in good shape.

Chibi Baka · Jul 24, 2004

people dying with uncontrolled pain probably are the worst situations witnessed. People dying as they seem to be totally aware of their impending deaths AND are totally scared of dying is profoundly sad to me too.

I agree, people in agony and fear in their last moments of life has to be extremely hard to see...

kario · Aug 29, 2004

:crying2: What are great thing you are doing.!!! Iam sorry for your Mom's passing at such an early age to you.

That quote "If God brings it to you, then he will bring you through it", is one that is going bring me through nursing school.

Good Luck to you. Your Mom is smiling down at you. :crying2:

It takes a special person to be an oncology nurse. I could never do it. I am 23 years old now and I was 8 years old holding my mom's hand begging her not to leave me. Yes, she had the dreadful word, malignant lymphoma. The nurses were so wonderful. They let me play with all the equipment (whether it was her home health nurse or her nurse at the hospital) If you are an oncology nurse, you have no idea what you mean to me. My very first clinical on the oncology floor, I had a pt with Gastric Cancer. Guess what, he died while I was caring for him. Every nurse is special, but to me oncology nurses are extra special. I said when my mom died that I was going to be a nurse, and the oncology nurses are the reason why. I just wish I could do it. :)

beckymcrn · Aug 30, 2004

found this poen one day while searching for something. I love it and thought all of you may too.

I Sometimes I See their Faces

By Connie Followwill

Sometimes I see their faces as I gaze into the stars

I feel the echo of their pain. I see the outline of their scars.

So many people I have seen lose at the same game.

They fight the war most valiantly, but death soon calls their name.

Each one has a story that told only to a few select.

To the ones who have the time to listen and who know compassion's effect.

Being that "one" isn't easy. On your heart it takes a toll.

Their stories tug at your emotions. They touch the edge of your soul.

But you can't imagine not doing; the job God gave you to do.

For even though there is pain, there are so many treasures too.

Meeting people and hearing, them tell of all their lives have been.

Success, failure, sorrow, and joy, Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win.

Lending a hand to someone in need. There is no greater feeling of worth.

Then to comfort another, help a friend. It's the greatest feeling on earth.

Cancer is such a vicious thing. It strips them of so much.

Their life, their independence, their dignity. But it can't take away your touch.

Your touch of caring compassion, To let them know you care.

And that they are still a valuable person, even if they do not have any hair.

My heart dances with those who are winning the battle, I see them healthy and strong.

But my heart breaks with those who are losing. I feel their loss in their Swan Song.

Each one leaves a jewel with me, that I cannot explain.

What little I have to give does not compare to all I have gained.

And still...

Sometimes I see their faces as I gaze into the stars.

I feel the echo of their pain. I see the outline of their scars.

chemoqueen, BSN, RN · Oct 3, 2004

As oncology nurses who spend more time c the patient and families that the MD, it is our responsibility to be an advocate for our patients. We need to talk c the patients and find out their wishes in regard to tx and give them the benefit of our knowledge as to how that will affect their QOL. It is then our responsibility to relay that info the the docs.--Phyllis

THAT'S what i have the problems with too; when mds just don't know when to let it be...it makes for horrible time remaining, often in the hospital and not at home, where they should be. :angryfire

mattsmom81 · Oct 3, 2004

Both my parents died peaceful deaths, thank God for good healthcare providers! Mom died in an oncology unit within days of being dx with inoperable mets to liver, Dad died at home with hospice supervising.There should be no reason for a patient to die in pain and agony with all we have to offer today.

A good death, Ted...yes we can all strive for this.. for our patients and ourselves.

Purlple · Oct 7, 2004

One lady had cancer spread to her lungs and liver. I guess someone told her daughter who was 8 y.o. The girl was crying for so long. The patient was calm until the daughter was in the hospital. As soon as she left, the lady started to weep. We had to close the door to her room but you could still hear it everywhere in the hall. I could hear her screaming "I'm scared". I think she was scared to leave her child. I had tears on my eyes as I heard it.

Elsbet · Jul 29, 2005

A necrotizing Burketts Lymphoma eating a hole in a 22 year olds peri-area. Horrid!

renerian, BSN, RN · Jul 29, 2005

Errosive breast CA

Cancer of the brain and stem with erosion/herniation to the oral cavity

Oral cancer, the smell and the deformity that can accompany it

renerian :crying2:

elthia · Jul 30, 2005

Prostate cancer that erupted through the surface of the lower abdomen and the periarea. the foley was 4 months old, but everyone including GU said to just keep it patent because there was no way to get another in.

The skin eaten away from an arm that the portacath failed and leaked vincristine.

A patient with mets to the sacralbones with pathological fx who was in uncontrolled pain. He went two days without sleeping becuase he was holding himself off the bed with the trapeze bar. He screamed if you touched him at any area below the waist. He was on a morphine drip, I titrated him from around 20 mg/hour to 120 mg/hour over the course of 10 hours under the MD's supervision. After a week or so he was on a fentanyl drip at around 26000mcg/hour, I never saw him again after that, he had to be transferred due to infection control issues, so I don't know what the final rate was. I've only been in oncology for just over a year, and I remember thinking that he was on enough narcotics to kill all of the other patients and staff on the floor, and it still wasn't enough for him.

nurse_clown · Aug 25, 2005

I've been an oncology/palliative care nurse for about a year. The worst thing for me to see is patients who are dying alone. There was a 51 year old man who had lung cancer. No one came to visit him. I tried to call his sister many many times to tell inform her of his condition. She never came. He was in so much pain and he was unresponsive. It took him 10 days to die. His sister showed up to collect his death certificate and estate. Real nice.

He didn't die alone. I sat with him and held his hand for as long as I could. I told him that he wasn't alone.

Seeing patients who are lonely and afraid is very difficult to witness. I can handle the ruptures, pleural effusions, MI's you name it. I can't handle someone being in pain, or all alone when they are dying.

RNinPA · Sep 15, 2005

The saddest I have seen was a mother who had been accused of munchausen by proxy but her daughter actually had an aggressive brain tumor