Expert: Violet Argo RN - 11/15/2005

Question
 I have been out of active nursing work (registered nursing) for 8 years - in which I have battled and won 3 different bouts of cancer.
I have now passed my 5 year "cancer in remission" mark and wish desperately to return to nursing.  I have worked in the Operating Room, on different hospital floors, and in numerous other capacities.  However I feel I might have a little more insight I could bring to the field.  Have you worked with nurses who have had cancer and returned to Hospice nursing?  What is YOUR feeling about this as you have much more experience than I? I realize I will need a
refresher course.   Thank you.

Answer
You will bring empathy, love, kindness and understanding in a way many of us cannot. I have the privilidge of working with many cancer survivors, and I just hired a nurse who is a cancer survivor. Did you keep up your licence? I hope you did. If you did not you will have to take a refresher. Good luck my fellow nurse. Hospice is great. I have been a hospice nurse for more that 12 years.