Tag: nursing
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Infusion Center Questions: “What If I React?”
It’s a question I hear pretty often. “What if I react to my infusion?” Whether it’s an iron infusion, a chemotherapy infusion, or one of the other infusions we give, it’s a valid question. What happens next? Here’s a brief overview of what your nurse will do if you react to your infusion: There are…
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“Smart Chemo”/Antibody Drug Conjugates and Breast Cancer
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are transforming oncology treatment for breast cancer patients (and other patients, too! They can be used in different cancer treatment regimens.) ADCs are founded in the concept of a “magic bullet,” which was developed by Paul Ehrlich, the founder of chemotherapy treatment. Paul Ehrlich’s work was done over 100 years ago- he…
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Things Your Oncology Nurse Says Daily-Outpatient Edition!
“Let’s check your labs.” We check labs a lot! We want to make sure your “counts” are good for chemo. Or, we might check them if you come in for a triage visit to make sure that your hemoglobin, white blood cells, and platelets are okay. Sometimes, the problem is electrolytes like potassium, calcium, or…
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Why Small Meals Help During Cancer: A Nursing Perspective
“Everything tastes funny.” I hear this from patients all the time. When you’re going through cancer treatment, one of the most frustrating challenges can be eating. Food might not taste the same. “Everything tastes like cardboard” is something I hear on an almost weekly basis. Between nausea, fatigue, and low appetite, full meals can feel…
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3 Cancer Breakthroughs Everyone’s Talking About in 2026
There are actually some exciting things happening in the research world of oncology right now, even if you’re not a scientist! There are developments in not only treating, but monitoring, detecting, and preventing cancers, including some of the deadliest. These aren’t magic cures, but are gaining serious momentum. Here are three that experts are especially…
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Nurses Week and How Things are Going For Nurses (Hint: Not Great)
Nurses week is coming soon! In the U.S. It runs from May 6 (National Nurse’s Day) to May 12 (Florence Nightingale’s birthday and International Nurses Day). My hospital system will be celebrating from the 4th to the 8th or so. Interestingly (and in a rather timely manner if you ask me) a recent report came…
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Preventing Burnout-RN Edition
Nurses, I see you out there. I know that your job can be a lot. Some days are better than others, but sometimes it feels overwhelming. Certain fields such as ER nursing, ICU nursing, and oncology nursing can be particularly stressful. What is burnout? What are the signs of burnout? Is it avoidable? Let’s explore…
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What Your Oncology Nurse Wishes You Knew Before Starting Chemotherapy
Starting chemotherapy can feel overwhelming—physically, emotionally, and mentally. As an oncology nurse, I’ve cared for patients at every stage of treatment, and one thing is almost always true: what people expect is not what it actually is. Expectations are based on ideas or stories or movies. Or what happened to your mom’s second cousin. But…
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Unreasonable Hospitality in Healthcare: Applying Hospitality Industry Ideas to the Healthcare Experience
It’s something that’s been coming up for a while. Will Guidara’s book, Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, is inspirational and food for thought, whatever industry you’re in. If you haven’t read it, it’s the idea of going above and beyond, tailoring someone’s experience specifically to them. He talks…
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A Change for the Better
It can be hard to make a change. I graduated nursing school in the middle of COVID, having gone back after my kids were older and my ex and I had separated. I worked full-time in retail and then hospital pharmacies, going to nursing school part-time. After working for about a year on my unit,…
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