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CindyKolody
1.Whatarethedifferentjobsthatonecanpursuewithinpediatricmedicine?
Youcanbecomeapediatricphysician,nurse,nursepractitioner,dietician,therapist,social
worker,medicalassistant.Withineachofthesejobsonecanchooseaspecialtyorfieldof
interest.
2.Whatmadeyoudecidetobecomeapediatriconcologynurse?
Iaminterestedinthefieldofoncologyandpreviouslyworkedwithadults.Thebasicsof
oncologynursingarethesameforadultsandchildren,eventhoughthediseasesanddrug
regimensareverydifferent.Iwantedtoworkwithchildrenandfeltmyknowledgeofoncology
nursingalreadywouldmakethetransitioneasier.LittledidIknowhowmuchmoreIwouldneed
toknowandlearn.Everyspecialtyinnursingisfulloflearningthatneverstops.
3.Whatisyourfavoritepartofyourjob?
Workingwithmypatientsandthefamilies.KnowingIhavemaybemadeadifferencein
someone'slife.EverythingIdoorevencomplainabouteventuallygetsputinperspectivewhen
youlistentosomeonegoingthroughalifeanddeathsituation.Itbringsoutthebestandworstin
people.Ilovehavingparentsdependonmetohelptheirchildgetbetter.Tohelpthemcopewith
whattheyface.
4.Whatdoesyouraveragedaylooklike?
Verybusy.Averageloadis45patients.Usuallyoneofwhichneedsaprodedure(bonemarrow
biopsy,PICClineinsertion,lumbarpuncture),andthisrequiressedationandmonitoringoftheir
breathingandvitalsigns.CertainnurseslikemealsoarecertifiedwiththehelpoftheICU
doctortoplaceaPICClinewhichisinsertedinthearmandthreadedintoalargeveininthe
heart,Wegivechemotherapy,antibioticsandbloodproductsthroughthis.Everychildiseither
receivingchemotherapyinfusionswhichcangoforhoursorbloodtransfusions.Thenurseis
responsibletomakeroundswiththeMDalso,giveallmedications,makesurethechildisfedif
noparentsarearound..SomeofthechildrenarestilldrinkingbottlesWe.keeptrackofthe
inputandoutputofeachchild(sometimesdonebyweighingdiapers).Thescopeofwhatnurses
doneverstops.
5.Whatwasitlikeworkingwithpediatricdoctors?
Veryrewarding.Pediatricdoctorsarealsoinaspecialtysotheyareveryawareofthenurses
knowledgeandskill.Theyrelyheavilyonthenursestokeepthemabreastofchangesinthe
child'scondition.Thereisanecessarytrustthatmustexist.
6.Whatdoyoudotostayupdatedandeducatedinthisfield?Arecontinuingeducationunits
required?
Allnursesmustdocontinuingeducationrequirementstomaintaintheirlicense.Howeverin
pediatriconcologynursingthereisacertificationcalledCPON(certifiedpediatriconcology
nurse)thatonecanobtainandtomaintainthiscertificationyoumustobtainextraeducation
relatedsolelytooncologynursing.Therearemanyconferencesandlecturestoattend.Thereis
alsocertificationinadvancedlifesupportcalledPALS(pediatricadvancedlifesupport)thatis
required
7.Weretheredifferencesbetweenyourexpectationsgoingintothejobandtherealityofyour
daytodayjob?
NotreallyIamanexperiencednurseNursingisatoughjob.Therearedayswhenyouneversit
down.Someoneisalwaysneedingyoudoctors,patients,families,socialworkers,coworkers.
Somedaysjustreallystink.Somedaysyoujustfeelyoudidacrummyjob.Ilikeachallenge.
Everydayinnursingisadaytodobetter.Somedaysyouwishyouhadmoretimetogivetothe
patientsandfamiliesemotionallytoo.
8.Whataresomedownsidestoyourjob?
Staffingissues.Usuallynotenoughhelptotryanddothejobyouwanttodo.Usuallya12hour
shiftturnsintoa14or15hourshift,Thejobisverystressful.Addtothejob,problemswith
families,complaints,doctorsbeingunhappy,beingneededin3placesatonetime.Sometimesit
isathanklessjob.Noonebutanurseknowswhatanursefacesinaday.Decisionsabout
staffing,etcaremadebybusinesspeoplewhositatadesk.
9.Whatdoyourecommendtosomeonestartingoutinthisbusiness?
Hopefullyifyougointonursingitistotrulywanttodonursing.Somepeoplearegoinginto
nursingbecausethejobmarketispoorandtheyfeeltheywillfindajob.Ievenheardsome
thoughtnursesmadegoodmoney.Ifyoureallydonotwanttodonursingtheconceptofbeinga
nurseisnotthereandyoucannotreallybeagoodnurse.Youreallydonotcarethen.
10.Whatwouldyouexpectthesalaryofsomeonestartingoffinpediatricstobe?
Itwouldvarybythestateyouliveinandwhereyouwork.Nursesusuallymakethemostmoney
startingoffinahospital.Nurseusuallymakeanywherefrom$20to$30asanewgraduate.
11.Haschangesinmedicineaffectedsalariesgoingforward?
Notreally.Mostinstitutionshaveasetsalaryrangefornursesbasedontheireducationandyears
ofexperience.Nursingsalariesarewhattheyare.Theymayincreasethembyalittleeveryfew
yearsbutwehavenotmadetoomuchgaininthisarea.
12.Doyouexpecttoseeagrowthfortheneedofpediatricmedicineinthefuture?Ifso,inwhat
areasandwhy?
Ithinklikeeverythinginmedicinethingschange.Newwaystogivemedicinesevolvesuchas
oralchemoagentswhichmaydecreasehospitalizationsbutincreaseclinicneeds.Therewill
alwaysbeaneedforthepediatrichospitalsandskilledpersonnelthatareneededtogive
care.Therewillalwaysbesickchildren.Theremightbeaneedformoreoutpatientcareinthe
futurethough.
13.Howhaveyouseentechnologyinfluenceyourworkinthelast1520years?
Technologyhasmademonitoringofthechildrenmorepreciseandeasier.Chartinghasbeen
changedtoallelectronicandthishelpswithcarecontinuitybetweendepartments.Equipmentis
easiertoworkwithanddoesmoretohelpthenurseout.
14.HaveyouseenasignificantchangesincetheintroductionoftheAffordableHealthcareAct?
Notreally.ChildrenhavealwaysbeencoveredunderMedicaid.ThehospitalIworkfortakesall
charitycasestoosonochildiseverturnedaway.
15.Istherecompetitioninthisdisciplineofmedicine?Doyouthinkitenhancesperformance?If
so,how?
Surethereis.Asanurseitisimportanttostrivetomaintainalevelofcareasanexampleto
newernursesandcoworkers.Nursesarerewardedforthisbybeinggivena"chargenurse"role
orpreceptorrole.Theseroleshelptomaintainqualitycareonaunitaswellasimpartyour
knowledgetoanewnurse.Itgivesthenurseinchargetheabilitytoidentifyproblemsother
nursesmayhaveinprovidingqualitycaretotheirpatients,ornurseswhomayneedmorehelpin
organization,documentation,orclinicalskills.Thesenursearealsopaidmore.Ifanurseworks
withothernurseswhomaintainahighlevelofcare,theywillmorethanlikelystrivetodoso
themselves.