Gene Said:

pediatric oncology nurse?

We Answered:

Although I'm not a pediatric nurse, I do work with adult oncology patients. The job is extremely stressful. In many cases you are giving very expensive medications that if not given correctly, can damage a patient's skin requiring plastic surgery. Working with patient families can also be stressful as well. You won't run in to this in pediatrics because all of your patients are under eighteen but with adult patients, a nurse has to protect the patient's privacy and can't give out any information about the patient to anyone without written consent (even to their spouse). Of course, there are exceptions to every rule.

The pay scale is different depending on where you live in the country. I wouldn't say it's great though...especially if you work in a clinic setting. Some hospitals have better health and retirement plans.

All hospitals and clinics are different. In the hospital I work at the nurse must work on the floor at least one year before taking an adult chemotherapy class. Once the nurse passes the class and practical exam, you will be allowed to give chemotherapy. Of course, if the nurse is pregnant, she doesn't give chemotherapy until after maternity leave or after she's done breastfeeding, which ever comes last.

I hope this answers your questions. It can be a rewarding job as well as stressful and I wanted you to be able to make an informed decision. Good luck in whatever you choose to do.

Troy Said:

How Do Oncology Nurses use mathematics in everyday jobs?

We Answered:

They have to calculate dosages for a patient's body weight. They also mix some meds and have to be able to calculate amounts to be mixed.

Gregory Said:

I would like to be a pediatric oncology nurse but am i smart enough?

We Answered:

Even people with average IQs manage to become doctors; it's more a matter of how hard you work and how motivated you are than how smart you are. However, that job kinda sucks - you spend all your time with sick and dying kids who resent you for making them feel even worse, since they usually don't understand how treatment makes them better in the long run.

Julian Said:

What are the requirments for becoming a pediatric oncolgy nurse?

We Answered:

If you already are a nurse there are classes that you need to take in order to be certified to do oncology nursing. The place you work at should probably pay for that. I'm not sure what the salary is because it really varies from state to state. If you are not a nurse already, you should go to a 4 year school and get your BSN. This will give you the best opportunities available. I hope that this kind of helps.

Marcus Said:

How to become an oncology nurse?

We Answered:

you have to finish your degree and become a standard, general nurse, then you do it as a post grad stage. you can sometimes go to university and do a course, or otherwise, some hospitals allow you to do it within the hospital, as on the job training. you can't do it as an undergraduate.

i found oncology nursing really rewarding. the patients are really grateful for all you do and it is about more than just rushing people in, curing their disease and throwing them back out again. it is a more holistic approach. it can be sad though, not everyone likes it because it can be quite emotionally demanding, especially for the terminal patients because you know that no matter what you do, they aren't going to get better and death occurs on these wards more often than most others. i found it rewarding and interesting though and found comfort in the fact that i got to care for all aspects of a patient, could relieve their suffering and make their passing as dignified and pain-free as possible. its an amazing feeling knowing that doing the simplest things like having a chat, providing hope for a peaceful progression or giving them some pain relief for someone can make such a huge positive impact on their life. the patients and their family members are always so grateful no matter what the prognosis or outcome is.

and when you get the ones who have hit rock bottom with their health status and then slowly get better and healthier and stronger or even cured whilst under your care, and then leave hospital and go on to live normal lives, that's amazing and rewarding as well. don't rule it out, you might just love it.