Chemo Cert. ?

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I had posted a response (well more like a question on a thread) on the oncology forum but didn't have any luck getting a response. I also did a search but was unable to find anything. I was just wondering- to be certified to give chemotherapy, do you have to have oncology experience? I know there is a course you can take through ONS, and this is something I am interested in pursing in case I want to move on to something different in nursing. I understand that chemotherapy is some dangerous and scary stuff! I thought it would be good to be certified to be able to give chemo to have more options. TIA :nurse:

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Specializes in Cardiac, Med-Surg, ICU.

From the ONCC website:

-A current, active, and unrestricted RN license

-1 year experience within three years prior to application

-A minimum of 1,000 hours of oncology nursing experience within 2.5 years prior to application

-Complete 10 contact hours of accredited continuing education or an academic elective in the past 3 years

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Thanks. I took a look at the site and I think that's specifically if you want to be a certified oncology nurse. I'm just looking more into just being certified to administer chemotherapy, not necessarily becoming a certified oncology nurse.

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Specializes in ICU, Education, Peri-op.

I would like to hear about this also. My hospital has an outpatient infusion clinic with great hours and it would be something I would like to do. The catch is you have to be chemo certified. Is this possible without oncology experience?

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

The course through the ONS in and of itself does not "certify" one to give chemo. That is made clear by the instructors....to truly certify someone to give chemo, there has to be some practicum experience - where someone observes you hanging/administering chemo. Most of those courses are 2 day courses that educate you about chemo but have no practicum, due to liability/time constraints. They do issue a card that explains that you have had the ONS course.

When facilities say "chemo certified", sometimes they mean just having had the ONS course, but others require that one have had a practicum where they demonstrated capability of properly/safely giving chemo.

Can you take the course, without oncology experince? I believe so, but it will be harder from you to understand some of the practical aspects. And if you do not work in oncology, or do not give chemo regularly, it will be more difficult to retain the knowledge and use it properly when you need it.

Many facilities have nurses do the 2 day course and then have an experienced nurse examine the performance of that nurse hanging/pushing/administering chemo - various forms and techniques. This would be difficult to do unless you work in oncology - there may only be an IVP vesicant once a week or so.

But by the same token, oncology nurses have to keep up continually with new data, the latest monoclonal antibodies, which drugs are calculated on AUC rather than BSA, which require what tubing/filters, etc and which require what type of frequesnt vital signs. This is difficult to do if you are not working in oncology. Thus, if chemo is given off of the oncology floor (MTX in the ER or OB/Gyn comes to mind, or monoclonal antibodies in M/S) , usually an onco nurse comes to give it, rather than expecting other personnel keep up with chemo issues.

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Specializes in Oncology.

We don't need a certification to give chemo, just what we covered in general orientation + an ONS chemo class (but I haven't taken it and I've been giving chemo). As a rule though, agency nurses don't hang it at our hospital.

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Thank you all for your replies. And thanks for the info caroladybelle- yeah I knew the class didn't have a practicum. Aren't there any places that have some type of practicum though? Though I'm sure if you're orienting on an oncology floor you'd have more experience in giving chemo, but yeah just something I'm interested in pursuing.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

I have never seen a course that offered a practicum to any but their own staff members - probably do to liability/ privacy issues.

Face the issue that their own staff - they have checked the background, verified the license, most have facility , have been tested on IV skills as well as been checked off by a preceptor. They can call them or schedule shifts for practicum when they know that the appropriate chemo/pts will be in.

On the other hand, having a nonstaff nurse coming to give chemo - to check them out adequately to insure that they are licennsed and safe, would be time consuming, risky and expensive. You really can't call them into the facility when there is an IV push Vesicant, to check them off. And since you need a facility for a real "practicum" - those facilities face major risks/expenses allowing an outsider to hang chemo, for no practical gain.

Chemo is a high risk medication group per JCAHO - any mistake is a sentinal event. Would you let a total stranger to your facility, even with a nursing license, that has not had the same vetting as staff, hang this?

Also, one week, you may have a lot of chemo, and other weeks, very little. "Practicum" for even staff may take weeks to get signed off on all the experiences required.

As well as virtually every facility has some differences in technique, meaning you really need to be checked off at every facility.

Example: one facility requires all the extra ports on chemo lines be taped off, and no coinfusions on the same line permitted, even if compatible. Another may use one line, with several different compatible chemos long lined in.

Plus chemo certification also means teaching your patient, knowing the appropriate comfort measures and initiating those measures correctly. This is a process that takes days, and caring for the pt before and after.

You see, chemo certification, has to do with more than just hanging the drug. The drug effects take weeks to get over, not a few hours and one needs to know how to care for them throughout.

You also need to be familiar enough to spot errors, something that really requires frequent practice.

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Thanks again caroladybelle. You really made some good points. And yeah it makes sense to be working on oncology to be truly "certified." So oncology experience it is.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

I really dislike it when facilities put "chemo certified" as a job requirement/recommendation....when there is really no true "certified" to it. Most mean having had the ONS class w/ a current card (they expire and you have to do an update every two years - but it is easy to do) and been checked off by a facility.

Of course the checkoff procedure per facilities vary widely. On of the most widely acclaimed facilities in Boston made me do a written test - 10 pages, some with essay answers - and watched me do a certain amount/type of chemo infusions. I (even as a traveler) got paid 8 hours for the test. But this was one of the few places that still give a lot of doses of high dose IL2 - a risky biological drug that requires specific interventions (double pressors, high risk of MI).

Others just require the card, do a computer or written test and a few hangs. Some places are very "relaxed" (some might say not vigilant enough).

Good Luck and my best wishes.

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Specializes in Infusion, Oncology, Home Care, Med/Surg.
I was just wondering- to be certified to give chemotherapy, do you have to have oncology experience?

Yes, you need to be employed with a minimum of 6+ months oncology experience to take Chemotherapy & Biotherapy basic 2 day course.

For a 3 day course with Practicum you'll need 1 yr experience, IV cert, knowledge how to access ports (vascular access devices).

Here is sample:

http://www.fccc.edu/docs/healthProfessionals/continuingNursingEducation/fa08-chemo.pdf

Good luck!

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