Oncology Nursing

An oncology nurse is a type of nurse who specializes in caring for cancer patients. Oncology nursing care is defined as serving the needs of oncology patients throughout their illness course, including appropriate screenings and other preventative activities, symptom management, care to maintain as much normal functioning as possible, and supportive measures at the end of life. Hospitals, outpatient care centers, clinics, private practices, and long-term care institutions are all places where oncology nurses work. Oncology nursing encompasses everything from prevention and early detection to treatment (including surgical, radiation, and medicinal oncology), symptom management, and palliative care. Nurses must be capable of coping with the numerous side effects that come with cancer and treatment. Nurses must be well-versed in both pharmaceutical and nonpharmacological nursing interventions, as well as when they should be used.

• Role of Nurses in Cancer Care