Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

bongo — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:03:05 GMT

when you think about it vets have a couple of lectures at uni on radiography and nurses pretty much do a whole module on it including positioning etc for practicals.......so who is the most qualified...mmmmmmmm?

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:52:21 GMT

Well I wanna learn how to use advanced imaging technique such a CT and MIR the American Ass of Vet Radiologist are developing several courses in these areas for vet techs. Wrote to RCVS asking them to look into developing equivelent quals over here and all I got in reply was "oh yeah we'll think about adding a module to the new diploma"

Just think its a bit frustrating!

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Freckle — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:49:02 GMT

[quote user="Nick Shackleton"]

Don't get me start'd

[/quote]

No Nick, please do speak out!

Frustrates the heck out of me that we are trained for stuff, that we can't implement...

............. unless you harrass vets coz' you want to do things by the book - and they then laugh and belittle you! Aghhh!

I am not QVN yet, let alone RVN, but have many years experience

Is just bliss when I am working with the 'newer' vets - they listen to me and act upon it............ the 'old school' vets drive me nuts!.

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:38:24 GMT

Don't get me start'd

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Freckle — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:35:44 GMT

[quote user="Nick Shackleton"]

None of our vets get involved with radiography, we are left to it! even at weekends they would rather monitor the patient's anaesthestic than take rads!

[/quote]

I am not a huge radiography fan, but from my experience, nurses are better left to it;

better at keeping animal relaxed (concious)

(or better at maintaining anaesthesia)

better at positioning

better at collimating

better H&S awareness

... this is what we trained for after all! We ain't trying to diagnose ffs!

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:24:38 GMT

None of our vets get involved with radiography, we are left to it! even at weekends they would rather monitor the patient's anaesthestic than take rads!

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Freckle — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:21:45 GMT

agreed!

my name becomes MUD at xray time tho - the vets hate working with me coz they know I will pull them up on H&S

Think they (vets) have been allowed to call the shots with radiography for too long - its up to nurses to say NO, manual restraint is not ok! Nor is crap collimation/settings!

It seems that nurses care more about their colleages H&S than they do at times!

Rantage!

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

dinkyd — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:15:54 GMT

Agree well done you - no one else will look out for your health better than yourself.Im surprised tho that your nursing colleagues are like that,would have thought they would be the opposite.

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:13:07 GMT

good for you freckle

we have some many referred cases that have the whole film expossed there is no need!!

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Freckle — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:11:27 GMT

OMG!!

Our vets will willingly hold anything down for xrays (without dosimeters) - and were genuinely surprised at my suggestion of concious restraint with sandbags etc!!

Had to also point out the importance of collimation..... '7kg dog stifle' - no collimation at all until I intervened

Shockingly, the resident RVN;s are surpised I kicked off about this.. but hey H&S is down to everyone, to be considering everyone elses H&S at the same time!

I now get the pee taken out of me when I am xray nurse, but so what? The vets will let me do concious xrays and collimate appropiatley! With everyone wearing their dosimeters

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

dinkyd — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:06:05 GMT

Arent we lucky lol - do the vets want rid of the paper work heehee!Seriously tho good that the roles are being made available to other members of the profession

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:03:41 GMT

[quote user="dinkyd"]

Makes sense though - its part of our daily job - well kind of- radiography is anyway lol.Didnt realise there was a restriction on who could and couldnt.Interesting.

[/quote]

used to be only vets, but has now been extended to nurses!

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

dinkyd — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:03:03 GMT

Makes sense though - its part of our daily job - well kind of- radiography is anyway lol.Didnt realise there was a restriction on who could and couldnt.Interesting.

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:58:37 GMT

[quote user="dinkyd"]

Haha yea but at least the option is there and it is up to the individual to wear it and monitor there own exposure.

[/quote]

tru! think its good that nurses can now become radiation protection supervisors!

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

dinkyd — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:57:35 GMT

Haha yea but at least the option is there and it is up to the individual to wear it and monitor there own exposure.

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:54:14 GMT

[quote user="dinkyd"]

Very true - but still!At least if you wear your badge/have one you know if you have been exposed if you have a high reading come back - you havent got that 'safety catch' with chemo unfortunately.

[/quote]

Tru but most ppl forget to wear their badges!!!

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

dinkyd — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:53:16 GMT

Very true - but still!At least if you wear your badge/have one you know if you have been exposed if you have a high reading come back - you havent got that 'safety catch' with chemo unfortunately.

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:48:15 GMT

[quote user="dinkyd"]

Silly vets!Thats being polite!You know what having been through it myself and seeing the human oncology nurses work when i was in hospital i really cant believe how blase these vets are - well actually i can lol- but anyway- i know the doses we give to animals are very much lower than human doses,but still - its cytotoxic,chemotherapy drugs!

I can honestly say hand on heart if any vet/member of staff brushed it off like that i would have a few choice words heehee.

[/quote]

TBH it's much like vets a radiation safety! many are so blase about that too!!!

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

dinkyd — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:46:01 GMT

I can honestly say hand on heart if any vet/member of staff brushed it off like that i would have a few choice words heehee.

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Steph Phillips — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:46:33 GMT

[quote user="dinkyd"]Can i add pleae do not let your vet fool you into thinking a drop on your skin is harmless.Very big mistake on thats vets behalf.Cytotoxic drugs are not to be messed with.[/quote]

D'you know what.. Thats exactly what the vet at my practice says!! but I still feel the need to gown up etc.. after reading this thread, I think i'll tell him to shut up next time he says it LOL!

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Maisy — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:37:33 GMT

[quote user="Nick Shackleton"]

Sounds like my 1st boss. He used to laugh when all the nurse used to put the protective gear on, but then this is coming from the same vet who walked around the practice with unguarded syringe of imboilon!!!!

[/quote]

Yup! My first boss was the same, he was a complete numbskull when it came to the dangers of immobilon and chemo drugs. Saw the use of PPE a waste of money when all we needed to do was hang on tightly to the animal and he would inject quickly. Great!

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:28:54 GMT

[quote user="wobbliebob ,"]

i also work with a vet that will not take it seriously. Vet wears no protective gear at all, and has a brew on the side most times.

[/quote]

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

wobbliebob — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:23:43 GMT

i also work with a vet that will not take it seriously. Vet wears no protective gear at all, and has a brew on the side most times.

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

daisy — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:55:57 GMT

i must admit chemo is a subject that really winds me up!!! i worked with a vet in a prior clininc (you know the one nick????) who didnt give a dam, she would make use restrain without any PPE, inject direct into the vein with out a catheter, make us cut up chemo tablets, but the worst thing she ever did was to give really high doses of I/V and oral chemo, admit the patient but not inform the nursing staff of what meds she had gave the patient so no precautions were taken when handling the patient or excretions until a fellow nurse told us what had been administered!!!

i researched the dangers of chemothepthy for my diploma and i was shocked at the harm we could expose ourselfs too, so i dont take any risks now and i refuse to work with a VS who refuses to take H&S seriously!

its not a matter to be taken lightly but with all the correct precautions in place (as stated in this thread) you will be fine!!!

Re: Chemotherapy/vincristine?

les punton — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:21:00 GMT

i agree with Dinky, dont let the vet fool you. Iv worked with a super careful vet (which was great) and he would prepare evrything we wasnt allowed in the same room incase ther was a spillage, made sure we had all ppe on b4 we started and was great. Then worked with another vet who only wore one set of thin gloves and no mask etc.............. made me look OTT, but id rather that way. She thought I was just being stupid!