Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Maybe Cancer Took A Snow Day?

Ok, I've been at work for a little over an hour now and we've only seen three patients. Would it be too much to ask if the day continued like this? I know it's too good to be true and within a matter of minutes the waiting room will be standing room only, but a girl can wish, can't she?

For those of you who don't know, I am a Chemotherapy Infusion Nurse working in an Outpatient Oncology clinic in the city. After four and a half years in the acute inpatient hospital setting, I decided to make the move to the "other side." Basically my day consists of starting IV's, hanging chemotherapy, transfusing blood products and managing the occasional emergent admission to the ER. Not to mention sharing laughs with a few of my favorite patients. It's been a great transition and certainly a nice break from the emotional and physical exhaustion that so often crept into life on the inpatient Bone Marrow Transplant unit.

Speaking of nurses, this was passed along to me by a few girls I went to college with. It gave me a good chuckle!

"NURSES: People to work long hours with frequent mandatory overtime. Few holidays and weekends off. Must be able to keep massive amounts of paperwork up to date while making split-second, life or death decisions. Must be immune to verbal abuse and able to neutralize the occasional physical assaults. Must display patience, kindness, understanding and caring even when your personal life is coming apart at the seams.. Must show no aversion to blood, vomit, oozing infections or human body wastes. Salary in no way commensurates with knowledge and ability."

I LOVE my job.

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