Oncology Nurse Career GuideEverything you need to know about stepping into the vital role of an Oncology Nurse, including the responsibilities, educational requirements, and the profound impact of this work in cancer care. Explore the essential skills and knowledge that Oncology Nurses bring to the table in supporting individuals facing the challenges of cancer diagnoses and treatment.

An Oncology Nurse works with patients who have, or who are at risk of getting, cancer. Oncology Nurses provide necessary assessments, administer treatments and communicate with all patient care providers to help develop a plan tailored to each patient’s needs. Because of their constant one-on-one time with their patients, Oncology Nurses tend to form strong and lasting relationships with the people under their care, as well as their families. Cancer patients and their loved ones look to Oncology Nurses to answer pressing questions, provide emotional validation, and address symptoms they might be experiencing.

These relationships are crucial in creating a comprehensive plan of treatment beyond addressing the cancer itself. Oncology Nurses know what their patients need physically and emotionally to give them the strength to face their diagnosis head on, and provide a pillar of stability for them to lean on throughout cancer treatment.

Unfortunately, the number of cancer patients in the U.S. is increasing every year, so Oncology Nurses are always in demand. Beyond just filling positions with people who have clinical expertise, hospitals and cancer care centers want Oncology Nurses who are compassionate and clear communicators, and who can handle the emotional toll of a profession where many patients are terminally ill.

As of November 2023, data from PayScale indicates that entry-level oncology nurses can expect to start with a base salary around $62,000. With experience and advanced skills, the upper end of the salary spectrum reaches approximately $115,000. On average, an oncology nurse earns about $82,000, reflecting the critical nature of their role in patient care and the healthcare industry.

As with any profession, factors such as years of experience, the kind of facility you work for, and the state and city you work in can have a significant impact on how you are compensated. Additionally, pursuing further specialized training within the Oncology practice, like earning your ONS/ONCC Chemotherapy Biotherapy Certificate, can make you more financially valuable to your employers.

Oncology Nurses hold dynamic daily responsibilities, ranging from clinical care to emotional support and companionship.

Some of these responsibilities will include:

• Advocacy: Oncology Nurses hold dynamic daily responsibilities, ranging from clinical care to emotional support and companionship. Having a potentially terminal diagnosis can be extremely isolating for patients, so it’s important for Oncology Nurses to keep this in mind as they approach their daily tasks. These tasks vary depending on where you work and what you specialize in, and present unique technical and emotional challenges for you and your patients.
• Education: As the main professional point of contact for your patients and their families, you’ll advise and teach them about the symptoms they might encounter during treatment, offer techniques for managing symptoms or pain, and communicate their treatment plans in a digestible manner. In these educational moments, it’s important that you’re honest with your patients without speaking in such a clinical manner that you feel removed from their experience. Be compassionate, be straightforward, and do your best to be a pillar of confidence amidst an extremely difficult and uncertain time for these individuals and their loved ones.
• Support: As an Oncology Nurse, it’s important to be in tune with the support techniques that work best for each patient. This may feel challenging to someone facing a potentially terminal diagnosis, so when in doubt, be an active listener. When patients are likely being spoken to in a highly clinical manner, it’s crucial for you to provide a space where they can feel comfortable freely voicing their concerns, questions and emotions.
• Treatment: Depending on your level of certification, you’ll administer treatments like chemotherapy or radiation, monitor your patients vitals and symptoms, assist in managing side effects, and work with your patients’ broader care team to create custom treatment plans for their diagnoses.
• Innovation: As individuals at the forefront of cancer care, Oncology Nurses are always finding new ways to support their patients. This often leads to innovations tailored to each patient, and sometimes leads to entirely new methodologies that are scaled across cancer care facilities. Recognizing the innovative nature of the Oncology Nursing field, in 2019 the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) launched a dedicated center for innovation, where cancer care providers can connect and share their experiences or findings, and hopefully develop new solutions to transform cancer care as we know it.

To become an Oncology Nurse, you must earn a minimum of an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN), but earning your Bachelor’s Degree in the Science of Nursing (BSN) will give you a competitive edge to prospective employers.

After completing your chosen degree, you must earn your license as a Registered Nurse and gain at least 1,000 hours of contact experience, 10 of which must be completed in Oncology. Because there are so many different manifestations of cancer and treatments for them, it’s crucial for incoming Oncology Nurses to have a comprehensive base of knowledge before becoming certified specialists.