Description
Assess and care for patients with cancer, develop and implement oncology nursing care plans, administer antineoplastic and supportive therapies, and maintain precise treatment records. Monitor treatment tolerance, manage symptoms and complications, educate patients and families, and coordinate care with oncologists and the multidisciplinary team across inpatient, clinic, and infusion settings. RN license required; oncology experience and ONS chemotherapy/biotherapy competency preferred.
- • Maintain accurate oncology documentation, including chemotherapy flowsheets and toxicity grades.
- • Monitor, record, and report changes in condition (e.g., fever, bleeding, pain, nausea, neuropathy).
- • Record treatment histories, vital signs, intake/output, and performance status.
- • Assess treatment tolerance and adjust nursing interventions; escalate concerns to providers.
- • Collaborate with oncologists, pharmacists, and the care team to plan and evaluate care.
- • Verify chemotherapy orders, doses, and consents; perform independent double-checks.
- • Administer chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted agents, and supportive infusions safely.
- • Follow hazardous drug handling, PPE, and spill procedures per ONS standards and USP 800.
- • Start peripheral IVs and manage central lines (ports, PICCs, tunneled catheters).
- • Monitor for infusion reactions and extravasations; implement emergency protocols.
- • Educate patients and caregivers on diagnoses, treatments, side effects, and self-care.
- • Review labs (e.g., CBC, CMP, tumor markers) before treatment; hold or notify per parameters.
- • Coordinate transfusions, growth factors, antiemetics, hydration, and pain management.
- • Triage symptoms in person or by phone and arrange urgent evaluations or admissions.
- • Prepare patients for radiation therapy, surgery, or procedures; provide aftercare teaching.
- • Implement infection prevention for immunocompromised patients; monitor for sepsis.
- • Prepare treatment areas, prime lines, and ensure availability of drugs, supplies, and PPE.
- • Collect specimens and perform point-of-care tests per protocol; relay critical values.
- • Document and grade adverse events using CTCAE; report promptly to providers.
- • Support clinical trials by following protocol procedures and documenting research data as assigned.
- • Coordinate referrals to nutrition, social work, palliative care, rehab, or community resources.
- • Supervise or precept nursing staff and students; reinforce oncology safety practices.
- • Participate in quality improvement and infection control initiatives for the oncology unit.
- • Attend care conferences or tumor boards and advocate for patient goals of care.
- • Assist with scheduling, authorizations, and regulatory documentation related to treatments.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
