Different Types Of Oncology Nurses
Oncology nurses are tasked with providing care to cancer patients. Since it’s a specialized field, nurses receive training in addition to gaining prior work experience as oncology nurses. The mandatory tests are difficult to prepare them for the work ahead. There are several types of oncology nurses the definitions of which are given below
OCN: Oncology certified nurses receive training in pain management, administering of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and continued care of patients. They focus on helping treat adults.
AOCN: An advanced oncology certified nurse is one who’s qualified to provide care in an advanced role. They can prescribe medication, organize treatment plans and manage side effects and pain associated with cancer and its treatment.
AOCNP: This stands for advanced oncology certified nurse practitioner, a step up from AOCN. Aside from completing a nurse practitioner program, candidates need to complete 500 hours of supervised practice in addition to having work experience as an oncology nurse
CBCN: Also known as certified breast cancer nurse, nurses with this credential have expertise in the detection, treatment and prevention of breast cancer in both women and men.
CPON: Certified pediatric oncology nurses help diagnose, treat and care for children with cancer. Like most other oncology nurses, candidates need to be registered nurses, have a year’s experience as an RN and have completed 1,000 hours of pediatric oncology nursing.