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Oncology nurse skills for your resume and career
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Terrica Durbin Ph.D.,
Terrica Durbin Ph.D.
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical oncology nurse skills. We ranked the top skills for oncology nurses based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 34.0% of oncology nurse resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an oncology nurse needs to be successful in the workplace.
15 oncology nurse skills for your resume and career
1. Patients
Here's how oncology nurses use patients:
- Provided support and education to patients on limited distribution Oncology medications, ensuring adherence and proper administration and discarding of therapy.
- Administered chemotherapy and therapeutic medications to adult oncology and hematology patients within NCCN guidelines as well as in clinical trial protocols.
2. Chemotherapy
Here's how oncology nurses use chemotherapy:
- Performed triage, assessments, lab interpretation, hospital admissions, rooming patients, medication management, chemotherapy preparation and administration.
- Gained significant experience in diverse areas of nursing process for oncology and transplant patients; administered chemotherapy and blood products.
3. Medical Oncology
Here's how oncology nurses use medical oncology:
- Act as liaison between medical oncology and radiation oncology offices.
- Worked with Breast cancer patients and provided services to Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Surgical Oncology and Infusion Oncology patients.
4. Patient Education
Here's how oncology nurses use patient education:
- Maintained a solid knowledge base of clinical oncology to facilitate patient education and information.
- Utilized as a patient educator and developer of informational tools for patient education.
5. Hematology Oncology
Here's how oncology nurses use hematology oncology:
- Served as inpatient staff during EPIC EMR conversion on a pediatric hematology oncology unit.
- Stem Cell Transplant and Hematology Oncology Programs.
6. Patient Outcomes
Here's how oncology nurses use patient outcomes:
- Evaluate and promote achievement of individual patient outcomes through complete assessments.
- Supported staff in improving performance related quality indicators affecting patient outcomes.
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Symptom management is the prevention or the earliest possible treatment of the symptoms of a disease, the side effects caused by the treatment of a disease, and the mental, social, and spiritual problems associated with a disease or its treatment. This treatment is given to prevent, control or alleviate complications and side effects, and to improve the comfort and quality of life of the patient.
Here's how oncology nurses use symptom management:
- Worked closely with physicians in symptom management and adjusted medications as needed to provide increased comfort and pain management.
- Provided direct patient care, chemotherapy administration, symptom management and patient counseling.
8. IV
Here's how oncology nurses use iv:
- Initiated and closely monitored administration of chemotherapeutic medications via peripheral IV's and venous access devices.
- Mixed and administered chemotherapy and IV medications in a clinic setting.
9. Direct Patient Care
Here's how oncology nurses use direct patient care:
- Work collaboratively with members of an interdisciplinary team in planning direct patient care.
- Provide direct patient care on a 36-bed hematology/oncology unit.
10. Quality Care
Here's how oncology nurses use quality care:
- Provided specialized high quality care for a busy outpatient oncology center.
- Worked very closely to physicians and nurse practitioners to help quality care for indigent patients.
11. Clinical Trials
Here's how oncology nurses use clinical trials:
- Monitored expected and potential adverse effects of prescribed pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment and interventions, including the patient on clinical trial.
- Participated as a sub-investigator in clinical trials involving various solid-tumors as well as hematological malignancies.
12. Community Resources
Community resources are a set of resources that are used in the day to day life of people which improves their lifestyle in some way. People, sites or houses, and population assistance can come under the services offered by community resources.
Here's how oncology nurses use community resources:
- Educate patients in areas of procedures, pharmacology, self-management of side effects and available community resources.
- Performed the checkups and make referrals to specialist and community resources.
13. Treatment Options
Treatment options are the different medical treatments doctors choose from to give to a sick person or animal. Treatment options depend highly on how ill a patient is and what drugs they can't without using.
Here's how oncology nurses use treatment options:
- Educate patients and families regarding oncology disease and treatment options/side effects of various treatments.
- Educated patients and their families regarding the various treatment options and procedures.
14. Supportive Care
Here's how oncology nurses use supportive care:
- Provided supportive care, planned, implemented and documented nursing care of patients receiving treatment for Cancer.
- Administer blood products, antibiotics, and other supportive care.
15. Home Health
Here's how oncology nurses use home health:
- Coordinated care between internal and external providers including referrals to other specialties and treatments, including home health and hospice.
- Interacted with all local home health agencies and reviewed all documentation and records of home health patients.
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What skills help Oncology Nurses find jobs?
Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.
What skills stand out on oncology nurse resumes?
Terrica Durbin Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Director, School of Nursing, Western Carolina University
Communication, critical thinking, patient assessment, problem-solving, clinical skills specific to the nurse's setting, electronic recordkeeping, flexibility.
What soft skills should all oncology nurses possess?
Terrica Durbin Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Director, School of Nursing, Western Carolina University
Communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, flexibility.
What hard/technical skills are most important for oncology nurses?
Terrica Durbin Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Director, School of Nursing, Western Carolina University
Clinical skills specific to the nurse's setting, electronic recordkeeping, patient assessment, and prioritizing appropriate interventions.
What oncology nurse skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Ashlee Barnes DNP, APRN, FNP-C
Assistant Professor, University of Detroit Mercy
People like the career paths that are offered in nursing. People also like the flexibility, ever-evolving shifts, job security and the opportunity to make a difference on a daily basis. People dislike the long hours at times, constant pressure, emotional involvement, and physical demands.
What type of skills will young oncology nurses need?
Angela Mund
Vice President, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
To meet the needs of our current volatile and complex healthcare landscape, all healthcare providers will need to understand the business of healthcare, in addition to providing expert patient care. Starting in 2025, all graduates from nurse anesthesia programs will be awarded a doctoral degree, a doctorate in nursing practice (DNP), or a doctorate in nurse anesthesia practice (DNAP). These degree programs include additional anesthesia experience as well as an understanding of effective leadership, healthcare economics and reimbursement, the use of big data for improving patient outcomes, and evidence-based practice.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about oncology nurseList of oncology nurse skills to add to your resume
The most important skills for an oncology nurse resume and required skills for an oncology nurse to have include:
- Patients
- Chemotherapy
- Medical Oncology
- Patient Education
- Hematology Oncology
- Patient Outcomes
- Symptom Management
- IV
- Direct Patient Care
- Quality Care
- Clinical Trials
- Community Resources
- Treatment Options
- Supportive Care
- Home Health
- Rehabilitation
- Compassion
- Cancer Treatment
- Family Education
- Pain Management
- Blood Products
- Data Collection
- ICU
- Discharge Planning
- Medication Administration
- Radiation Therapy
- Palliative Care
- Administer Chemotherapy
- PET
- Emotional Support
- Vital Signs
- Disease Process
- Life Care
- Patient Flow
- FDA
- Social Work
- Diagnostic Tests
- Phone Calls
- GYN
- Telephone Triage
- Resuscitation
- Bone Marrow Transplant
- Catheter
- JCAHO
- Medical History
- Medical-Surgical Nursing
- Staff Education
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025