How Much Does An Oncology Nurse Make? | NurseJournal.org (2024)

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How Much Does An Oncology Nurse Make? | NurseJournal.org? ›

Average Salary for Oncology Nurses

While ZipRecruiter is seeing hourly wages as high as $65.38 and as low as $17.31, the majority of Chemotherapy Nurse wages currently range between $29.57 (25th percentile) to $43.27 (75th percentile) across the United States.

Oncology nursing is a great career for nurses who enjoy ongoing relationships with patients and their families. It has its own unique requirements things that can tax a nurse both professionally and emotionally, but it also offers tremendous rewards.

Oncology nurses ensure optimal patient outcomes when they are employed in clinical, administrative, education, and research roles across the care continuum, including disease prevention, control, treatment or palliation, survivorship, and end-of-life care.

The salary of nurse anesthetists is the highest of all nursing professions. According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) are anesthesia professionals who safely administer over 50 million anesthetics to patients in the United States annually.

To become an Oncology Nurse, an Associate Degree in Nursing or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is required. It's also required to become licensed. This can be done by passing the NCLEX exam.

Oncology nurses are registered nurses who take care of either cancer patients or those with the potential of developing cancer. Oncology nurses work with physicians and other medical professionals to prevent, diagnose, treat, and manage cancer symptoms, as well as provide palliative care.

Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Nurses work in a high-pressure environment, providing care for critically ill patients who are often in life-or-death situations. Given the intensity of the job, ICU nurses are among the highest-paying nursing jobs for their skills and the high demand for their services.

What are the weaknesses of an oncology nurse? ›

For participants, the first three weaknesses of oncology nurses were over-sentimentality, helplessness or burnout (54.2%); working conditions (50%); and limited knowledge (47.3%).

A recent study showed that 62.79 percent of oncology nurses experience burnout. However, there are several strategies for addressing burnout in oncology nursing. Burnout is the buildup of stress from the demands of daily life.

Unfortunately, challenges to a robust oncology nursing workforce include nursing shortages, recruitment barriers (eg, perceptions of a demanding specialty with complex care and hazardous work environments), and burnout.

Depending on if you choose to pursue an ADN or BSN, your academic journey to becoming an Oncology Nurse can take from 2 to 4 years in a full-time program. As with most nursing specialties, you're required to earn your license as a registered nurse before pursuing any further education or certification.

Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN®)

You must have at least two years of nursing experience and 2,000 hours of adult oncology nursing experience within the last four years. You also need to participate in continuing education or have recent classroom hours and pass a certification examination.

Exposure to chemotherapy can create hazards for oncology nurses as they deliver lifesaving care to cancer patients. Exposure occurs when oncology nurses inhale vapors or touch contaminated surfaces. Guidelines recommend wearing protective gear, including: Double gloves.

Based on historical data from the last year of posted Medical Oncology jobs, the average pay hovers around $567k per year. It's worth noting that the highest paying job for a permanent Medical Oncology role in the last year reached $950k annually, highlighting the potential for growth in your career.

Oncology nurses experience stress and pressure from various sources, including workload and emotional involvement with patient death and dying.

Despite the difficult nature of the work, many nurses find a career in oncology to be especially rewarding. If you're interested in becoming an oncology nurse, you'll first need to meet the educational and experience requirements to position yourself for opportunities in the field.