Essay Sample on Oncology Nursing: A Global Profession for Compassionate Care

Introduction

Nursing refers to a service-oriented program that uses various disciplines that needs scientific approaches. The first steps in a nursing education entail nursing skills, basic knowledge of nursing, and teaching fundamental concepts. This paper shall explore on oncology nurses and compare with advanced practice nursing

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Oncology nursing is a great profession for nurses who enjoy the relationship between patients and their families. Across the globe, an oncology nurse has to own a chem-bio certification before being allowed to administer biotherapies and chemotherapies (Fusco, 2015). There is a need for a nurse who works in oncology to be detail orientated based on the complex medication administration. An experienced registered nurse can earn an oncology nurse certification from the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation. The certification is vital for outpatients and inpatient nurses.

Key Differences in Oncology Nurse and Nursing Advanced Practice

Advanced practice nursing in oncology entails the nursing practitioner and clinical nurse specialist; however, they have a different role. The clinical nurse specialist works as a clinical researcher, mentor, educator, consultant, institutional change agent, and expert (DeNisco & Barker, 2015). The nursing practitioner is concerned with individual patient care management.

On the other hand, experienced oncology nurses can act as a travel nurse. Oncology nurses have standard office hours. An oncology nurse can build an ongoing relationship with patients and their families through a special bond. By working with a patient for several months, oncology nurses can give better care as compared to advanced practice nursing. Unlike advanced practice nurses, oncology nurse helps the patients to make a difficult situation less hard.

Evaluation

As a Master student, the goal is to provide a comprehensive education to help oncology nurses to stay at the top. Also, the role is to give the highest quality service and patient care. The vision is to provide educational programs that deal with issues that affect patients and oncology nurses (Mahon, 2018). As a master's degree graduate, there is a need to understand everything about new technologies and treatments to push for reimbursement policies and advocate for changes in managed care.

Emerging Healthcare Trends and Needs

Oncology nurses who have a master's degree help in developing the oncology nurses network. The website is used to provide the latest legislative action information, career center, research information, clinical practice, online education opportunities, and oncology news. The creation of the oncology nurses foundation in 1981 help improving the quality of cancer care and cancer nursing. The funding and the grants the foundation make concerning these issues entails career development support, lectureships, education, research, and leadership. The foundation also funds government programs to disseminate, evaluate, and develop knowledge in critical areas for the future growth of oncology nursing.

Challenges

In daily operation, every registered nurse experiences an ethical dilemma. Ethical problems exacerbate various problems to oncology nurses when the patient approaches the end of their lives or when treating advanced cancers. For that reason, the patients pose multiple ethical questions (Taher, 2019). The moral dilemma ranges from balancing quality life, disagreement with the family members, and costs of treatment.

The cost of treatment may prohibit an oncology nurse from treating a patient, such as expensive cancer drugs. Across the globe, cancer care approximately 5 percent of every healthcare spending (Mahon, 2018). When attending to these patients, the code of ethics is always questioned whether to follow a utilitarian approach or think like a virtuous man.

Oncology nurses deal with people with mental and physical disorders such as severe pain and side effects from treatment that lead to loss of lives. The issue of applying medical procedures that can extend the life of a patient without determining its quality may be hazardous. Unlike advanced practice nurses, oncology nurses must understand how to present palliative care as a course of action ("Oncology Nursing Ethics | TravelNursing.com," n.d.).

The current codes allow patients to a driver of making a treatment decision. If the patient was damaged in the past, the member of the family would make the preferred decision unlike it is today. For that reason, oncology nurses face the challenge of disparities in the wishes of the family and patients. In most instances, the oncology would go against the request of the family and focus on the patient's wishes.

Oncology nurses face the challenge of caring for patients who have made risky decisions. For instance, a cancer patient would work hard to get every possible treatment of their disorder. For that reason, they may not heed to certain recommendations and seek alternative therapies from their doctors (Taher, 2019). Oncology nurses face the problem of navigating the right choice. In essence, oncology nurses will be forced to comply with the nursing code of ethics to protect their patients, employers, and careers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an oncology nurse has to own a chem-bio certification before being allowed to administer biotherapies and chemotherapies. There is a need for a nurse who works in oncology to be detail orientated based on the complex medication administration to avoid making unethical decisions. An oncology nurse certification can be issued to an experienced nurse from the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation. Thus, oncology nurses should comply with the nursing code of ethics to protect their patients, employers, and careers.

References

DeNisco, S. M., & Barker, A. M. (2015). Advanced Practice Nursing. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Fusco, E. (2015). Nurse Practitioners Growing Role in Oncology. Oncology Times, 37, 4-5. doi:10.1097/01.cot.0000464265.70590.ad

Mahon, S. M. (2018). Guide to Breast Care for Oncology Nurses.

Oncology Nursing Ethics | TravelNursing.com. (n.d.). https://www.travelnursing.com/news/nurse-news/top-4-nursing-ethics-problems-faced-by-oncology-nurses/

Taher, A. F. (2019). A Patient-Centred Approach to the Ethical Dilemma of Breaking Bad News to Cancer Patients: Recommendation for Better Communication Strategy. Advances in Cancer Research & Clinical Imaging, 1(2). doi:10.33552/acrci.2019.01.000510