Virginia Oncology Associates

In July of 2022, I had the opportunity to shadow a nurse at the Virginia Oncology Associates at Sentara Careplex Hospital in Hampton, Virginia. This oncology office is also an infusion center for chemo and other cancer treatments. I was able to observe nurse Tracy as she prepared to administer IV medications for her oncology patients. She is a very kind and compassionate nurse who remembers many details about her patients lives, families, and preferences during treatments. I learned that the registered nurse administering the medication must have a check with another registered nurse to make sure the medication, dosage, and administration rate and time are correct for the patient. This is a very important step to ensure that there are no mistakes, especially since those chemotherapy drugs are strong and can become toxic at specific levels. It was an incredible opportunity which allowed me to gain an understanding of what a typical day as a registered nurse looks like. This is a career that I am very interested in pursing and I am so thankful that I was able to observe this nurse.