Pediatric Oncology Nursing

Hi from an RN in MA whose dream is also to go into peds oncology. I will tell you that you need a BSN for this field in MA, and there are two inpatient dedicated pediatric oncology units in Boston. You need at least 1 year of acute pediatric experience or 1-2 years of general inpatient heme/onc experience in acute care. Your best bet would be to become a patient care tech on an oncology floor in a major Boston hospital, or at Children's. It's really tough right now because market is terrible and most hospitals are on a hiring freeze.

Hi Cassie!

I don't think there is a direct answer to your question because every hospital and every state will have different requirements, which is applicable to all specialties. I got my BSN in NY but I work in California. As a new grad, my hospital required me to start off w/ the 6 month probation period as an acute peds RN, and received my 8wks of new grad orientation during this time. Then, as part of the new grad class curriculum, we had a 2 day Hem/onc overview class and those interested in pursuing the specialty had to take the hospital's chemo competency test. Once you passed the test, then I was set up to train with a heme/onc RN one on one for 3 days to orient to the heme/onc area. And from that point on I was a heme/onc RN. I was also encouraged by my boss to take the APHON Biotherapy Provider course but all of my training has been on the job. I am still learning daily after 2 years as a heme/onc RN.

And I personally got into the specialty because I had an interest in oncology while in school. I enjoyed my adult oncology rotation that I was lucky to get during school but I also loved pediatrics. It's definitely something you have to be initially interested in to be able to handle. It's a hard but rewarding department to work in. I love my kids at work and I love the families I've gotten to know well. If you still need people to interview, let me know.

Good luck!
-hemeonc girl