I love that being a registered nurse means I have an endless amount of opportunities. When I first started my career, I knew that I wanted to work in a hospital to gain the exposure and experience that needs to happen as a fresh nurse. After just two short years, I knew I was ready for a fresh start and to dive a little deeper into my chosen field. This also came at a time in my life when I was looking to make a huge life-changing decision. One that I hope will benefit me in the years to come.
So I applied to a wide range of job opportunities in the oncology field: floor nurse, research nurse, outpatient infusion, etc. Ultimately I knew being an infusion nurse was a perfect fit for me and where I am in my career.
What is an infusion nurse?
An infusion nurse is an RN who specializes in the administration of various medications through an IV line, central line, or venous access port. Thus, they must be skilled in starting IVs and maintaining access, collecting lab specimens, and an understanding of pharmacology.
Where can an infusion nurse work?
Infusion nurses can pretty much work anywhere that there is a need for IV therapy. Typical settings are home health, infusion centers, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, etc.
Who are the type of patients I see?
I am very fortunate to have landed a job in a very busy infusion center. My day consists of a wide array of tasks from subcutaneous injections, maintaining central lines, IV therapy, and education. I also have a wide collection of patients. Initially I thought I would mainly just be seeing cancer patients, but actually, that is not the case! Yes, they are a large amount of the patient load, but so are autoimmune disorders, Chron's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and asthma patients just to name a few.
I hope this provides a little bit more insight into my job.
Megan
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