While people become registered nurses for a number of different reasons, almost every nurse will say that a major factor was their desire to help people in need. Ultimately, there are countless reasons to love nursing. Of course, RNs of every specialty become extraordinarily important to patients in need. Oncology nurses, those who work with cancer patients, certainly become important to their patients. However, there is so much more that goes into oncology nursing. So, all things considered, what is an oncology nurse? Well, there are a few aspects of the specialty worth exploring in order to fully answer this question. In this general overview of oncology nursing, we’ll cover some of the most important facts about oncology nursing but remember, oncology nurses are so much more!
A General Overview of Oncology Nursing
Oncology nurses are so integral to the patient experience that any aspiring RN should at least consider this career path. But, ultimately what is an oncology nurse? That’s an important question to answer before making any major decisions!
What is an Oncology Nurse?
At this point, I’m sure it’s obvious that oncology nurses are those registered nurses who work with cancer patients. However, this is an extremely short answer to the question, “what is an oncology nurse?” In order to really understand this specialty, it is important to consider its day-to-day responsibilities. According to NurseJournal.org, oncology nurses perform five primary tasks. These tasks are as follows: assist in the design and implementation of treatment strategies, counsel on cancer prevention and educate on ways to live with cancer, maintain health records, administer medication, and assist in chemotherapy and other treatments. Obviously, beyond simply working with cancer patients, oncology nurses have a wide range of responsibilities.
Oncology Nurse Salary
Since oncology nurses are more highly specialized than many other registered nurses, they are often able to earn a higher salary at well. While the median annual salary for all RNs is $68,450, oncology nurses typically fall on the higher side of this median. For experienced oncology nurses, annual compensation is often as high as nearly $90,000. As with any profession, experience and education are the best ways to increase your oncology nurse salary. Things like certification from the Oncology Nurse Certification Corporation are surefire ways to improve your standing as an oncology nurse.
Job Outlook for Oncology Nurses
While nursing, in general, is expected to grow much more quickly than other jobs, oncology nurses specifically can expect to be in high demand moving forward. Nursing, in general, is expected to grow by 16 percent before 2024. However, unfortunately, the American Cancer Society estimates that millions of people will continue to be diagnosed with cancer each year. With this in mind, there is plenty of reason to expect that oncology nurses will become even more important to the healthcare industry in the years to come.
A Tribute to Oncology Nursing
Now that we’ve answered what an oncology nurse is, it’s time to take a moment to appreciate all the oncology nurses out there. For Nurses Week 2018, we want to be sure to appreciate all of the hard working RNs who make our lives better every day. Oncology nurses absolutely deserve this praise. As cancer patients frequently find themselves in extraordinarily vulnerable positions, it is essential to have healthcare professionals who can provide high-quality care in a compassionate way. Fortunately, we have so many great oncology nurses out there doing this.
Do you think you might be interested in a career in oncology nursing? Are you a current oncology nurse looking for a career change? Just interested in seeing what types of oncology jobs are out there? Take a look at our oncology nurses job page! There are more than 1,900 great opportunities to consider. Are you already an oncology nurse? Let us know why you love your job in the comments below!
