Interviewee:Ms.

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.