After 10 months’ maternity leave I have returned to work. This in itself is a huge challenge both mentally and physically and it has taken a few months to re-engage my idle brain. So it was with some apprehension that I returned to my prescribing role.
My colleague has been ably minding my clinic while I have been away and has become fully immersed in the clinic environment. With her so well up to date on the latest treatment pathways and individual patients’ needs, I find myself feeling slightly resentful of her abilities! I have even asked myself — should I return to the clinic at all?
The first couple of sessions did little to settle my nerves. While shadowing my colleague and the consultant to become reacquainted with processes and treatment pathways I realised there was much to learn. How could so much change in just 10 months? Electronic requests for blood tests and X-rays are now the norm and I must be trained before receiving access to the system. Treatment approaches have also changed since our new medical oncologist has settled in and started influencing practice. So much to take in.
At last I could procrastinate no longer and my first solo consultation arrived — a woman with a gynaecological cancer receiving palliative chemotherapy. Reviewing her history revealed that she was keen to continue active treatment, despite having progressed through many standard regimens. Because of her desire for active treatment she had been sent to our professor of medical oncology for review; he is now trying to get her into a trial of a novel anticancer drug. I’m not sure who was more excited — me (an adrenaline rush took over from my nervousness and I spent a lot of time talking to the patient, eager to learn from her experience) or the patient. Note to self — must refamiliarise myself with the latest experimental medicines!
I am pleased to have settled back into the routine quickly, helped no end by the flurry of “old” patients who remember me and appear to be glad to see me back. Exchanging details of my escapades while on leave, catching up with their experiences and advising them on how to take their antiemetics (some things don’t change) soon re-established the rosy glow of confidence. I now look forward to Wednesday mornings as much as I did before going on leave nearly 12 months ago.
Sue Robinson is lead pharmacist for cancer and aseptic services at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
