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It might not seem like the most glamorous medical field, but gastroenterology offers lots of diverse opportunities and jobs. There will be no boring days at work as a gastroenterology nurse as you help patients establish healthy diets and assist with procedures and surgeries.
Are you interested in a field that offers a variety of procedures and tasks? Find out if you’d enjoy a job as a gastroenterology travel nurse.
Life as a gastroenterology nurse
Gastroenterology nurses primarily work in hospitals or specialized clinics, with occasional jobs at patients’ homes and in labs. Travel nurses will work in a variety of settings.
Patients these nurses care for suffer from reflux, ulcers, food allergies, colon cancer, constipation and diarrhea. Each of these issues require different care, but gastroenterology nurses will often assist with endoscopies, which let doctors look at a patient’s digestive tract.
They’ll also collect samples, perform x-rays and help with day-to-day office work in some settings.
Requirements
Sometimes gastroenterology makes patients feel uncomfortable both mentally and physically. All nurses need to be empathetic, but gastroenterology nurses specifically need to understand their patients’ discomfort and keep patients as comfortable as possible.
Gastroenterology nurses need to be particularly good at addressing their patients’ concerns and communicating these concerns to the doctors.
In addition, many gastroenterology patients have long-term issues. Nurses need to explain medications, talk to patients and their families about diet changes, and ensure patients understand their conditions.
Because of the variety of procedures associated with gastroenterology, nurses need to understand the necessary technology. This includes x-rays, tomography scans and endoscopic procedures.
Note: Basic life support (BLS) and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification is required for all travel nursing jobs. Travel nurses must also have at least one year of clinical experience.
Education
To become a gastroenterology nurse, you first need to get a bachelor’s degree in nursing, then pass the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX). Before you become a certified gastroenterologist nurse, you need to work as registered nurse for three years, with 18 months of clinical experience in gastroenterology.
Are you ready for an exciting career? Check out our open gastroenterology travel nursing jobs.
