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What Does a Hematology Oncology Nurse Do?

Hematology oncology nurses help patients with blood diseases or cancer as they go through the treatment process. It's been proven that complication rates go down when there is a hematology oncology nurse assessing, advocating, and intervening for her patients.

A certified hematology oncology nurse could work in acute-care hospitals, out-patient clinics, home health care, or a clinical research environment. Hematology nurses are able to give chemotherapy or assist in providing radiotherapy. Hematology oncology nurses can also choose to work with pediatric patients or adult patients.

Education & Training Required to Become a Hematology Oncology Nurse

If you are an registered nurse (RN) interested in hematology oncology nursing, a number of campus and online hematology oncology nursing degree programs are available to you. Currently, five levels of examinations or certifications are available in hematology oncology nursing:

• Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN)
• Certified Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurse (CPHON)
• Certified Breast Care Nurse (CBCN)
• Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner (AOCNP)
• Advanced Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist (AAOCNS)

Typical Characteristics of a Hematology Oncology Nurse

Hematology oncology nursing is demanding. Working alongside a hematologist oncologist, you could administer highly toxic treatments to your patients, care for them after treatment, and counsel them, all in one day. You could be wishing someone good luck as they leave your care for the last time, healthy once again, or you could be saying good-bye to a patient who may not live to your next shift.

Accurate and quick assessment skills, and quick reactions are a must. But you can't lose the special touch that hematology oncology nurses need to help their patients through their often difficult journeys.

High Demand for Hematology Oncology Nurses

As the overall demand for registered nurses grows, so will the need for hematology oncology nurses and hematology oncology nurse practitioners. Their education and experience can provide good follow-up for hematology and oncology patients.

Salaries, which vary greatly according to location, ranged from $43,410 to $92,240 in 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Advanced practice nurses, those with specialties such as hematology oncology nursing, will be increasingly in demand as the population ages and needs advanced specialized care.