Oncology Nursing

Description

Oncology Nursing:-An oncology nurse is a specialized nurse who cares for cancer patients. These nurses require advanced certifications and clinical experiences in oncology further than the typical baccalaureate nursing program provides. Oncology nursing care can be defined as meeting the various needs of oncology patients during the time of their disease including appropriate screenings and other preventive practices, symptom management, care to retain as much normal functioning as possible, and supportive measures upon the end of life.

What is oncology?
Oncology is the branch of medicine that researches, identifies, and treats cancer. A physician who works in the field of oncology is an oncologist.

Oncologists must first diagnose cancer, which is usually carried out via biopsy, endoscopy, X-ray, CT scanning, MRI, PET scanning, ultrasound, or other radiological methods. Nuclear medicine can also be used to diagnose cancer, as can blood tests or tumor markers. Oncology is often linked with hematology, which is the branch of medicine that deals with blood and blood-related disorders.

Treatment

Once a diagnosis is made, the oncologist discusses the disease stage with the patient. Staging will dictate the treatment of cancer. Chemotherapy — which is defined as the destruction of cancer cells — may be used, as well as radiation therapy. Surgery is used to remove tumors. Hormone therapy is used to treat certain types of cancers, and monoclonal antibody treatments are gaining popularity. Research into cancer vaccines and immunotherapies is ongoing. Palliative care in oncology treats pain and other symptoms of cancer.

Treatment team

Cancer is often treated in a team effort, with at least two or three types of oncologists, including medical, surgical, or radiation. The oncology treatment team may also include a pathologist, a diagnostic radiologist, or an oncology nurse. In the event of a new or a difficult-to-treat case of cancer, the oncology care team may consult a tumor board, made up of various medical experts from all relevant disciplines. The tumor board reviews the case and recommends the best course of cancer treatment for the patient.

Oncology nurse

The oncology nurse has many roles, from helping with cancer screening, detection, and prevention, to the intensive care focus of bone marrow transplantation. Work settings for oncology nurses also vary and include acute care hospitals, ambulatory care clinics, private offices, radiation therapy facilities, and home care agencies. Oncology nurses work with adult and pediatric patients with cancer.

Pediatric Oncology

Pediatric oncology is a medical specialty that focuses on cancer care for children.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that 10,270 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in children in 2017. Of these, 1,190 children will die from the disease.

Pediatric oncology is an important medical field that treats all pediatric cancer types, including acute lymphocytic leukemia,