Top Jobs: Oncology Nurse
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Published January 24, 2010 Spending your days with people who have cancer may seem depressing, but for people like Deanna Dominiak its a joy. I knew it was my calling the day I stepped on the unit, says Dominiak, an oncology-certified registered nurse who works as cancer care coordinator at Aurora West Allis Medical Center in West Allis, Wis.The Work: Most oncology nurses work in hospitals and specialized cancer treatment centers helping treat cancer patients or helping them to manage their diseases or treatment effects. Gary Shelton, a nurse practitioner with a master of science in nursing is an oncology specialist at New York University Langone Medical Center in New York. He helps assess patients response to treatment and helps them live with their diagnosis and deal with the myriad of cancer-related problems. Oncology nurses perform many nursing and clinical tasks and often coordinate patient care and support patients and families. Oncology nurses can specialize in a type of cancer care, such as breast or pediatric cancer, or work in radiation oncology, which involves using targeted doses of radiation to help treat tumors. The Need: There is an overall shortage of nurses in the United States. Add the fact that one of every four people who die in the country dies from cancer, and you see the need for oncology nurses. The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) says that the demand for oncology nurses will increase dramatically. The Training: To enter the nursing field, you need at least a diploma, but many registered nurses have a Bachelor of Science degree or higher. There are several paths to take, from getting a degree first to working as an LPN while pursuing advanced education. Theresa Brown has a bachelors degree and Ph.D.in English; she taught writing for many years before returning to school to become an oncology nurse. I attended the accelerated nursing program at the University of Pittsburgh, and started in oncology, she says. The ONS supports oncology-nursing certification, one of several nursing specialty credentials RNs can get by taking a special examination. Skill Set: You have to be kind and you have to be patient, says Brown. Oncology nurses can spend a lot of time with their patients and families dealing with tough issues. Listening is a critical skill, but technical skills also count. You might help administer patients chemotherapy treatments, for instance. Ups and Downs: Naturally, oncology nurses can be subject to burnout from dealing with serious illness and death. There are times when I get close [to patients] without meaning to, says Shelton. But oncology nurses support one another and look at the bright side. The patients teach me so much about living life to the fullest every day, says Dominiak. The Pay: The pay also is a positive. RNs who work in hospitals make an average of $63,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Certified oncology nurses can earn up to $10,000 more. The Way There: Shelton worked his way up through the nursing ranks from nursing attendant to LPN to RN. He then received his BS, MS and nurse practitioner certification while working at a cancer center. Not everyone loves oncology nursing; be sure its right for you. If youre certain about nursing, investigate the level of education youll start with. Get a job on an oncology unit or shadow an oncology nurse for a few days to get a feel for what you need to do and if its the right choice for you, says Dominiak. - Written By Teresa Odle |