Description
Direct and advance oncology nursing practice across inpatient and outpatient settings, guiding staff in safe delivery of cancer therapies, complex symptom management, and patient navigation. Ensure adherence to chemotherapy safety standards, evidence-based protocols, and oncology regulatory and accreditation requirements.
- • Coordinate oncology education and chemo/biotherapy competency training for staff.
- • Assess oncology patients to identify treatment, symptom, and supportive care needs.
- • Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of oncology nursing practice and care pathways.
- • Provide direct oncology care, perform comprehensive assessments, order/interpret tests, and prescribe supportive therapies per scope.
- • Deliver specialized care to oncology inpatients and outpatients across infusion, inpatient, and radiation settings.
- • Maintain oncology policies, hazardous drug handling (USP <800>), and neutropenic precautions.
- • Collaborate with medical, surgical, and radiation oncology, pharmacy, palliative care, and social work to optimize outcomes.
- • Develop oncology nursing philosophies, goals, policies, and procedures.
- • Develop, implement, and evaluate oncology nursing standards using evidence-based guidelines.
- • Develop and coordinate individualized cancer treatment and supportive care plans.
- • Recommend chemotherapy regimens, dose adjustments, growth factor use, and supportive care to the care team.
- • Plan, evaluate, and modify treatment and symptom management based on patient response and records.
- • Educate patients and families to support informed choices about chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, trials, and palliative options.
- • Instruct staff on assessment and management of oncologic emergencies (e.g., febrile neutropenia, tumor lysis syndrome, spinal cord compression).
- • Supervise nursing care in infusion suites and oncology units to ensure safe therapy delivery.
- • Identify oncology training needs and conduct in-services for nurses and other clinicians.
- • Stay current with oncology research, therapies, and practice guidelines.
- • Monitor patients’ conditions, lab trends, and toxicities in collaboration with the oncology team.
- • Support clinical trials via protocol review, patient education, safety monitoring, and regulatory compliance.
- • Coordinate discharge and transitions, including home care, oral oncolytics teaching, and survivorship referrals.
- • Document care, toxicities, and outcomes; prepare reports for quality and regulatory requirements.
- • Write nursing orders and standing protocols for premedication, labs, and symptom management within scope.
- • Consult on chemotherapy safety, central line management, extravasation, and symptom control.
- • Develop and maintain oncology department policies and patient care standards grounded in evidence.
- • Design oncology quality programs tracking dose delays, neutropenia, and unplanned admissions.
- • Design patient education on chemo/biotherapy, oral oncolytic adherence, radiation effects, and supportive care.
- • Lead compliance with oncology accreditation and safety standards (e.g., CoC, QOPI, USP <800>).
- • Chair or co-lead oncology nursing councils, tumor board initiatives, or safety committees.
- • Teach classes on symptom management, survivorship, fertility preservation, and advance care planning.
- • Coach and mentor oncology nurses and navigators toward professional growth and certification.
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
