Reflections on Oncology Nursing - Essay Example

I work in an oncology lab and I always have to interact with families. I believe that I am a compassionate person and want to make sure that I answer all their questions. The strength that comes from this is compassion and an ability to work well with all types of people. I also have the strength of working with different ethnicities, attitudes, and personalities.

I deal with people who have just found out that they have cancer. I can customize their plan of care to include the entire family. This is important because patients do not do well if they do not have a supportive family when they are going through the processes that are necessary for cancer survival. People want to be treated well, no matter what they are experiencing in healthcare. When a health care provider helps them take care of their needs, without judgment, the family is helped; I feel I have a skill in this area.

One of the challenges I have is that I have to go out and assess the patient’s home environment. I have to decide whether the individual will be able to survive in their environment. I often ask questions like, “Will the patient be taken care of well at home, or does he or she need a nursing home?” or “What kind of support system does the family have?” “Are they capable of handling the things that the patient will need as the patient progresses in their treatments?” I state this as a challenge because the answers to these questions will determine what I need to do as a nurse and will decide some of the decisions I must help the family make. Sometimes the answers are positive ones, and sometimes there are other conversations that I must have with the family. There are some conversations in my job that the family may have difficulty hearing. Some of the patients can become angry and this is one of those things that I feel I am good at helping. I understand that anger is one of the stages of grief that people have to move through when they are dealing with a loved one.

I think that I would do support groups in the future to help people deal with different types of diseases. I work in oncology now, so I would like to start cancer information groups. I think that people need to understand the risks, and how they may be able to keep themselves healthy. I also think that I would like to branch out and do workshops that have information for people who live with cancer patients.

As a group member, I think that I understand better how to move forward as a member of a group. I know that it is difficult sometimes to let other people talk or let them interact in ways that seem uncomfortable to me. I also know what it is to facilitate groups and how difficult it can be as a group member and as a leader. I think the class has helped me see myself more as a leader. As a nurse, I think that we lose track of the fact that we do have a responsibility to lead others and that we are doing this when we are working with people. I think this class has shown me a better way to facilitate a group and how to create better interactions with people in the group.

The course has changed my way of thinking. When I came into the class, I was unaware of the different skills that I already had in working with people. The course not only helped me realize this, but it also provided me with more skills. I realized that some of the skills that I had for working with groups, I had forgotten how to apply. I also think that group work is sometimes difficult for a nurse because one has so much to handle in a day. I think that at some point, I may want to have less time with patients daily, and look into doing more training.