In an increasingly rare show of bipartisan common ground, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Doug Jones (D-AL) introduced the Nursing Where It’s Needed (Nursing WIN) Act in April 2019. The bill would assist nurses in underserved areas of the country—particularly rural communities—that are facing nursing staff shortages.

A. Adoptive transfer 

B. Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity 

C. Pathogen associated molecular patterns 

D. Phagocytosis 

After the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) 2010 report on the “Future of Nursing,” the nursing field made a concerted effort to encourage current and incoming nurses to achieve higher education through a Bachelor of Science Nursing (BSN) degree or higher. As lifelong learners, nurses are committed to providing the best care possible and consistently furthering their education is part of that commitment. According to a report from AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 56% of U.S. nurses hold a BSN or higher, an all-time high for the profession.

Which of the Following Leads to the Greatest Percentage of Superior Vena Cava Syndrome Cases?           

A. Small cell lung cancer

B. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

C. Non-small cell lung cancer 

D. Kaposi sarcoma                

Which of the Following Represents the Rate of Radioactive Decay Equal to One Disintegration per Second? 

A. Gray

B. Becquerel  

C. Curie

Which of the following drug spills doesn’t require a full-facepiece, chemical cartridge-type respirator or PAPR during clean up?

A. 5-Fluorouracil 

B. Cyclophosphamide 

C. Adriamycin  

D. Nitrogen mustard 

Reading is essential to growth—both professionally and personally. Unfortunately, reading for enjoyment rapidly declines after age eight, and one in four Americans say they haven’t read a book in the past 12 months.

As more U.S. states approve the use of medical cannabis, oncology advanced practice RNs (APRNs) may see increasing inquiries from patients who are interested in using it to manage cancer-related symptoms. However, the drug remains illegal under federal law, confounding research efforts for its use in cancer care and limiting the generation of supportive evidence.

I still remember what it felt like to sign my name in the chart for the first time after passing the OCN^®—and later the AOCN^®—examination: excitement, accomplishment, relief, and pride. I knew that the credential didn’t automatically make me a smarter or better clinician, but it did validate the knowledge and skills that I had been working so hard to achieve over my years of practice as an oncology nurse.

Oncology nurses seeking basic oncology certification in 2019 will need to have more experience as an RN and more hours of specialty practice before they can take an initial certification test, according to the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation’s (ONCC’s) new eligibility criteria. The new criteria affect OCN^®, CPHON^®, CBCN^®, and BMTCN^® initial test candidates. They do not affect nurses who are renewing certification.

Which of the following is not an ONS recommendation for practice when accessing an implanted port? 

A. Sterile gloves must be worn during the procedure. 

B. Palpate the outline of the port body prior to accessing. 

C. Aspirate to confirm blood return after accessing. 

D. Use only a noncoring needle. 

Whether it’s with your smiling patient who always brings sweets to her appointments, the colleague Who started when you did, an inquisitive family member, or your supervisor, relationships are an ever-evolving component of successful oncology nursing careers. Fostering professional relationships among colleagues can often lead to mentoring opportunities that are mutually beneficial for mentors and mentees.

Oncology nurse navigators (ONNs) fill a critical, ever-growing role in cancer care settings across the country, providing patients with the resources, education, and care coordination they need to successfully navigate their cancer journey. By reducing barriers and burdens on patients and their caregivers, ONNs help lead patients from initial diagnosis, during treatment, into survivorship, and often through end-of-life care. 

Test your oncology knowledge with ONS. Which of the following is a risk factor for developing breast cancer? 

1. Women who are gravida 3 para 2
2. Mild to moderate alcohol use
3. Absence of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation
4. Going through menopause prior to age 55

For sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, cancer incidence is on the rise. The increase in cancer rates can be attributed to several factors, including economic and social development and infectious disease rates. In that part of the world, many healthcare professionals don’t have access to up-to-date information regarding safe chemotherapy handling and administration. The American Cancer Society (ACS) and Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) developed the ChemoSafe program to share critical information and resource acquisition focused on safe chemotherapy administration and cancer treatments with healthcare providers in SSA. ONS provided specific nursing content to support the ChemoSafe initiative, including educational materials and courses.

With more than 50 new U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals for cancer therapy in 2017 alone, oncology nurses are challenged about how to keep up with all of the latest practice updates. However, the Philadelphia Area Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society (PACONS) leadership has taken an active role in helping to ensure their chapter members are given the evidence-based cancer treatment information they need to improve their practice.

Addressing a clinical problem through evidence-based practice (EBP) involves asking the right questions in the right way, finding the best available evidence, and assessing what practice change may be needed. A core factor in the EBP journey is the development of nurses who possess a spirit of inquiry within a culture that supports a systematic process for asking clinical questions.

With improved early detection guidelines and techniques as well as advancing cancer treatments, cancer is now a chronic disease in an already aging population. In addition, the Affordable Care Act expanded healthcare coverage to millions of previously uninsured Americans, increasing the need for medical services. With these trends in health care, nurse practitioners (NPs) are needed at the forefront to positively impact and enhance oncology care.

As medicinal cannabis continues to make its way into practice in states in which it has been legalized for medical use, oncology nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, and all members of the cancer care team must be aware of the ways in which cannabis can be administered to patients. Although medicinal cannabis is still being studied, patients have several ways to use it to combat side effects like pain, nausea, and vomiting associated with cancer and its treatments. Knowing the routes of administration and the potential for drug interactions can help all oncology professionals approach medicinal cannabis in the safest possible ways for their patients.

Sepsis is a formidable complication of cancer and cancer treatment. Claiming more than 250,000 lives annually, it is a medical emergency. Do you have sepsis algorithms and protocols in place? Do all specialty areas have a way to identify patients with cancer as a highly vulnerable population? Is sepsis-specific education provided to nurses and patients? Starting the conversation and advocating for policy development and change may just save a life.

It’s beneficial to think about financial toxicity in terms of issues adhering to treatment. Mounting evidence suggests that patients with financial toxicity aren’t adhering to their cancer care. It’s becoming a common side effect of cancer treatment, and patients might be less likely to take treatments their medical team prescribes because of it, leading to substandard care.

Genetics in clinical oncology nursing practice permeates all aspects of care from prevention and detection to treatment decisions to long-term survivorship care. Each of these areas often overlap, and oncology nurses need a solid genetics understanding to provide optimal care.

Estimates suggest that 30% of all cancers are preventable through lifestyle changes and vaccinations. We know that tobacco accounts for 90% of all lung cancers and contributes to increased risk for head and neck cancers. It’s also well known that sun exposure is associated with increased incidence of basal and squamous cell skin cancers, as well as the most dangerous skin cancer, melanoma.

Earlier this month, I found this picture of my grandmother from 1918. She must have sent it to her sister, because on the back of the photo was scrawled a message: “I thought you might want a snap to see me in my nursing uniform.” This is like a selfie from nearly a hundred years ago. Although the sign behind her says, “Don’t park here,” that’s exactly what she’s doing. The humor was not lost.

The impact of professional certification goes far beyond the authority to practice. Certification is a testament to expertise, excellence in patient care, and commitment. This article uses the diverse certification journeys of three oncology nurses to highlight some of the key benefits of certification. Their paths offer direction and motivation to new and experienced nurses in this specialty.

Oncology nursing has certain universal truths: Your patients are going to need care. They’re going to need advocates, educators, and support systems to help them face their cancer diagnoses. Whether you work in a town that’s as American as apple pie or the Kingdom of Bhutan in the Eastern Himalayas, oncology nurses are at the ground level providing patient-centered care that leads to positive outcomes.

Because of the risks and dangers associated with hazardous drugs, guidelines surrounding their use and handling have been issued since 1981. Since then, several organizations, including ONS (in tandem with the American Society of Clinical Oncology), the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, have released guidelines for various providers who handle the drugs.

In a supplement to the April 2017 issue of the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, ONS released its first set of recommendations for nurse education and safe handling principles regarding immunotherapy administration. ONS recommendations are based on best-available evidence and the anecdotal experiences of professionals at cancer centers with varied experiences in immunotherapy administration.

In their article in the April 2017 issue of the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, Compton and Chang provided a guide for nurses caring for patients with substance use disorder (SUD), including overview, diagnosis, and treatment of SUD as well as its implications for pain management and cancer treatment considerations when a patient with SUD is diagnosed with cancer.

My desire to become an oncology nurse began when I was 11 years old; like many children at that age I was struggling to discover who I would become. When my mother explained her breast cancer diagnosis to me, our very peaceful world froze for a moment. I grew up rurally in South Pomfret, VT, on many miles of dirt road that led to a beautiful, cozy little house. The idyllic world I lived in suddenly changed; although I could support my mother emotionally with compassion and love, others were working medical miracles to keep her well. Witnessing this, I discovered the deep desire to make an impact in others’ lives through pursuing a bachelor of science in nursing and a career in oncology.

Cancer centers across the country, especially those in larger medical centers, are seeing many immunotherapy agents in standard care now. Patients are hearing about advancements in immunotherapies, they’re excited by the possibilities, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is approving new drugs or indications almost every month. Although many patients still don’t recognize the distinction between standard treatment options and immunotherapy, it’s vital for nurses to stay educated and understand how these treatments work differently from traditional care options.

With an increasing number of baby boomers—both leaving the nursing profession and finding themselves in need of care—a workforce shortage is continuing to challenge the nursing industry. Recent reports have also indicated that educators in nursing programs have dropped off, leading to fewer nursing graduates. Some educational institutions are seeking accelerated programs to meet the demands of the growing healthcare market.

Based on the results of the oncology nurse navigator (ONN) role delineation survey and feedback from ONS membership, ONS evaluated and updated its ONN Core Competencies. Several significant changes were made.

When I met Shirley, she was poised, mature, and clearly very smart, but she was also humble. She had just graduated nursing school and had no experience. Our usual applicants had several years of nursing or a few years of oncology nursing experience. As a leadership team, we chose to trial a new graduate nurse on our team. This decision came following a great deal of discussion and preparation.

When I was first approached about the opportunity to precept a new graduate nurse, I was hesitant. Although I had trained experienced nurses, I was nervous about the challenges I might encounter in training a new graduate in a fast-paced environment.

When I was first approached about the opportunity to precept a new graduate nurse, I was hesitant. Although I had trained experienced nurses, I was nervous about the challenges I might encounter in training a new graduate in a fast-paced environment.

One of the questions that the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC) commonly receives from nurses who’ve completed a continuing nursing education (CNE) program is, “How do these points count for ILNA and where can I put them on my learning plan?”

Cold and clammy hands were tightly clasped around mine. Tears began welling up in her eyes. She struggled to mouth the words, “I have cancer.” Ten minutes ago, she and I were just strangers. As a part-time electrocardiogram transporter, I had just met this middle-aged woman, wheeling her down to the third floor for a computed tomography scan. After a brief introduction and small talk, I noticed a sense of despair in her eyes. I asked her if anything was troubling her. She told me she was just diagnosed with lung cancer with no family nearby to care for her.

In our 2016 member survey, more than half of you indicated that it would be helpful if ONS provided more patient care resources. ONS has enhanced our systems for members to do just that.
 

After more than 40 years as an oncology educator, researcher, and nurse, ONS member Karen Meneses, PhD, RN, FAAN, has been named the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB’s) 2016 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer. This is the highest honor given at the university, and Meneses is only the second nurse from UAB’s school of nursing to ever receive the honor.