Possibly the most effective way for an RN to upgrade their career is to specialize and great approach for doing this is by getting their oncology nursing certification. The United States alone has more than 31,000 oncology certified nurses. Becoming certified means that you can work in one of the leading nursing specialties in the medical field.
As the name implies, an RN with a certification in oncology nursing has chosen to specialize in the field of cancer. Because this is a somewhat large domain, with numerous sub specialties, the ONCC awards a variety of certifications, which allow the RN specialist to focus on a specific part of oncology. Some of these are breast health, pediatric hematology, or pediatrics. Additionally, there are some sub specialties which are somewhat more specific like clinical nurse specialists and certified nurse practitioners An oncology certified nurse has a plethora of options in the specialty.
These nurses assume much greater responsibility than does a registered nurse. Because of advanced schooling in oncological care, one may be asked to perform cancer screening and prevention programs. Because of their advanced training, they usually are experienced in the latest treatment options as well as end of life care. The training needed to become certified gives registered nurses the knowledge needed to take care of the more advanced tasks that come with this specialty.
One must have a valid registered nurse license to be an oncology certified nurse. As the certification is advanced, there are very strict requirements for the experience and education an individual must have before sitting for the exam. For instance, a basic OCN needs to have 1,000 hours of adult oncology practice and ten hours of continuing education, through a recognized program. A nurse specializing in breast care is going to have identical requirements, only the 1,000 hours will need to be in breast care nursing. Once again, this is a highly specialized form of nursing, and so it takes extremely specific schooling and training.
The final step in becoming an OCN is taking and passing the test. The test is 165 multiple choice questions, that cover 11 areas of oncology nursing. The test can take about three hours to complete. The test is fluid over time, and constantly changes in order to meet the ever-changing knowledge areas in this specialty.
Your oncology nursing certification makes a difference. The fact that you were trained in this field, means you'll be able to give your patients the special care they require. The healthcare industry itself needs oncology certified nurses, mainly because the population is getting older and there are simply more instances of cancer today. Many employers will often help to pay for the training necessary for the certification. Without a doubt, obtaining your oncology nursing certification will be difficult, but it is a major career leap, and it's highly valued by both patients as well as healthcare providers.
