What Do Oncology Registered Nurses Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for oncology registered nurses?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what oncology registered nurses do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Oncology Registered Nurses Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about oncology registered nurses by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Oncology Registered Nurses assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required. Includes Clinical Nurse Specialists.
Popular Job Titles For Oncology Registered Nurses
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Registered Nurses
- Medical Surgical Registered Nurses
- Travel Registered Nurses
- ICU Registered Nurses
- Operating Room Registered Nurses
- Home Health Registered Nurses
- Medical Surgical Travel Registered Nurses
- Emergency Room Registered Nurses
- Telemetry Registered Nurses
- Telemetry Travel Registered Nurses
- Emergency Department Registered Nurses
- Labor and Delivery Registered Nurses
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for oncology registered nurses can be found.
Best Industries for Oncology Registered Nurses
Oncology Registered Nurses Jobs By Industry
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 47%
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 7.2%
- Offices of Physicians: 6.8%
- Home Health Care Services: 5.6%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 5.1%
- Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities): 3.9%
- Other: 24.4%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of oncology registered nurses can be found working in the General Medical and Surgical Hospitals sector. In 2023, about 47% of all jobs for oncology registered nurses were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Education and Hospitals (Local Government) (7.2%), Offices of Physicians (6.8%), Home Health Care Services (5.6%), Outpatient Care Centers (5.1%) and Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (3.9%).
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Degree Options for Oncology Registered Nurses
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 24
- Accreditation: CCNE
Build on your nursing knowledge and experiences with our online degree-completion program.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: CCNE
Learn and practice the skills you need to play a pivotal role in creating progressive healthcare programs, systems and processes that result in high-quality, affordable care for everyone.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Years To Complete: 3-4
Keep up – and lead – advances in family practice healthcare by further professionalizing your skills with Franklin’s DNP-FNP program.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Years To Complete: 3
- Accreditation: CCNE
Strengthen your leadership skills to play a pivotal role in creating, evolving, and sustaining scientifically based and economically focused healthcare initiatives.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Years To Complete: 2
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Years To Complete: 3
- Accreditation: CCNE
Unleash your potential by completing the online FNP Certificate program that readies you for an advanced role in nursing.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 24
- Accreditation: CCNE
Expand your scope of practice as an adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, and become an expert in healthcare delivery for adolescents, adults and geriatric patients.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Months To Complete: 27
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Months To Complete: 27
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Realize your potential to impact healthcare with an accredited degree that blends nursing theory, advanced practice concepts and research.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Months To Complete: 18
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Months To Complete: 16
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Broaden your knowledge and your practice as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner equipped to provide a holistic approach toward healthcare.
- Months To Complete: 28
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Shape the future of nursing with Franklin’s M.S. in Nursing-Nurse Educator program. The 18-month, CCNE accredited online program blends evidence-based advanced nursing practice with industry-standard skills and concepts in instructional methods and design that equip you to excel in academic or clinical settings.
- Months To Complete: 18
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Months To Complete: 24
- Accreditation: CCNE
Build on your Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or diploma in nursing with a streamlined path to the M.S. in Nursing.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Months To Complete: 16-30
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do Oncology Registered Nurses Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what oncology registered nurses do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work oncology registered nurses do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that oncology registered nurses tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for oncology registered nurses, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Oncology Registered Nurses
Based on 2,738,912 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Oncology Registered Nurses
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 1,606,518 | 59% |
| Nursing Care | 636,896 | 23% |
| Nursing Process | 388,950 | 14% |
| Medication Administration | 297,836 | 11% |
| Intensive Care Unit | 287,124 | 10% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Oncology Registered Nurses
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 596,342 | 22% |
| Planning | 399,592 | 15% |
| Leadership | 395,124 | 14% |
| Management | 345,135 | 13% |
| Teaching | 296,642 | 11% |
Based on 2,738,912 job postings related to oncology registered nurses, nursing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 59% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for nursing care, nursing process, medication administration, intensive care unit and acute care were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for oncology registered nurses, followed by planning, leadership, management, teaching and critical thinking.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 1,606,518 | 59% |
| Nursing Care | 636,896 | 23% |
| Nursing Process | 388,950 | 14% |
| Medication Administration | 297,836 | 11% |
| Intensive Care Unit | 287,124 | 10% |
| Acute Care | 254,327 | 9% |
| Home Health Care | 247,412 | 9% |
| Nursing Practices | 242,897 | 9% |
| Care Coordination | 218,629 | 8% |
| Medical Surgical Nursing | 211,615 | 8% |
| Emergency Departments | 202,641 | 7% |
| Medical Records | 199,175 | 7% |
| Pediatrics | 195,908 | 7% |
| Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) | 195,169 | 7% |
| Direct Patient Care | 186,360 | 7% |
| Discharge Planning | 173,635 | 6% |
| Clinical Nursing | 164,419 | 6% |
| Medical Telemetry | 161,029 | 6% |
| Patient Education And Counseling | 156,956 | 6% |
| Computerized Physician Order Entry | 155,007 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 596,342 | 22% |
| Planning | 399,592 | 15% |
| Leadership | 395,124 | 14% |
| Management | 345,135 | 13% |
| Teaching | 296,642 | 11% |
| Critical Thinking | 281,100 | 10% |
| Coordinating | 261,724 | 10% |
| Customer Service | 204,491 | 7% |
| Problem Solving | 200,282 | 7% |
| Accountability | 195,412 | 7% |
| Operations | 164,960 | 6% |
| Compassion | 156,397 | 6% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 154,731 | 6% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 151,412 | 6% |
| Research | 149,194 | 5% |
| Writing | 139,127 | 5% |
| Computer Literacy | 138,176 | 5% |
| Decision Making | 127,518 | 5% |
| Advocacy | 120,049 | 4% |
| English Language | 117,157 | 4% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Oncology Registered Nurses
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,029,001 | 21.3% |
| Medical Surgical Registered Nurses | 382,391 | 7.9% |
| Travel Registered Nurses | 481,609 | 10% |
| ICU Registered Nurses | 372,624 | 7.7% |
| Operating Room Registered Nurses | 295,298 | 6.1% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was registered nurses, with 272,962 unique job postings. Medical surgical registered nurses were second, with 68,940 postings, followed by travel registered nurses, icu registered nurses and operating room registered nurses.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to oncology registered nurses.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,029,001 | 21.3% |
| Medical Surgical Registered Nurses | 382,391 | 7.9% |
| Travel Registered Nurses | 481,609 | 10% |
| ICU Registered Nurses | 372,624 | 7.7% |
| Operating Room Registered Nurses | 295,298 | 6.1% |
| Home Health Registered Nurses | 170,736 | 3.5% |
| Medical Surgical Travel Registered Nurses | 221,022 | 4.6% |
| Emergency Room Registered Nurses | 131,261 | 2.7% |
| Telemetry Registered Nurses | 143,109 | 3% |
| Telemetry Travel Registered Nurses | 355,149 | 7.4% |
| Emergency Department Registered Nurses | 135,226 | 2.8% |
| Labor and Delivery Registered Nurses | 190,935 | 4% |
| Oncology Registered Nurses | 104,583 | 2.2% |
| Registered Nurse Case Managers | 92,878 | 1.9% |
| Hospice Registered Nurses | 90,180 | 1.9% |
| PACU Registered Nurses | 106,015 | 2.2% |
| Progressive Care Unit Registered Nurses | 201,222 | 4.2% |
| NICU Registered Nurses | 117,460 | 2.4% |
| Pediatric Registered Nurses | 102,078 | 2.1% |
| ICU Travel Registered Nurses | 100,421 | 2.1% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for oncology registered nurses? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for oncology registered nurses.
How much do oncology registered nurses make?
Oncology Registered Nurses: How do you become one?
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