What Is an Oncology Nurse? And How to Become One

An oncology nurse is a nurse with advanced training who specialises in working with cancer patients and those at risk of developing cancer. Providing a combination of medical care and emotional support, oncology nurses are critical to providing quality, life-affirming care to those suffering from some of the most life-threatening conditions.

Learn more about oncology nurses, including what they do, how much they earn, and how to become one yourself. Explore cost-effective, flexible courses to help you gain the job-relevant skills needed to excel in the field.

What is an oncology nurse?

Oncology nurses are nurses who take care of cancer patients. Oncology nurses work with physicians and other medical professionals to prevent, treat, and manage cancer symptoms. In this position, you might also teach the patient about the disease and the treatment plan.

In addition to administering medical care to cancer patients, you may also provide emotional support and companionship to them. Sometimes, you could educate patients on cancer terminology, symptoms, and how to live a healthy lifestyle while undergoing treatment.    

Various specialisations exist within the field of oncology nursing. Some common options include the following:

• Paediatric oncology

• Acute oncology

• Haematology

• Hepato-bilary 

• Urology 

• Lung 

• Macmillan gynaecology 

• Colorectal 

• Upper GI 

• Head and neck 

What do oncology nurses do?  

Every oncology nurse will have unique duties based on where they work, their specialisation, and the types of patients with whom they work. At any given time, your responsibilities might include: 

• Monitoring a cancer patient's condition

• Running various tests and evaluations

• Administering medication to cancer patients

• Helping to manage the side effects of treatments, such as chemotherapy 

• Administering chemotherapy and other treatments like infusions 

• Educating patients and their loved ones on a particular type of cancer, treatment options, management plans, and lifestyle adjustments during cancer treatment

• Assessing a cancer patient's physical and emotional needs

• Helping create a plan of action for a cancer patient's care 

• Advocating for cancer patients and their loved ones  

• Reviewing a patient's health history and monitoring their vital signs 

• Coordinating with other healthcare providers

Oncology nurse salary and job outlook

According to Payscale’s February 2025 data, the median base salary for an oncology nurse is £32,560 per year [1]. Additionally, the need for oncology nurses continues to increase in the UK. If helping someone during a challenging time in their life interests you, this might be a good career choice.

Where do oncology nurses work?

Oncology nurses can work in various healthcare settings—anywhere that treats cancer patients. Some common places oncology nurses work include hospitals, specialist clinics, hospices, and community healthcare centres.

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How to become an oncology nurse

To become an oncology nurse, you must first earn a nursing degree, register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and gain experience in both healthcare and oncology. If you want to specialise in a certain area of oncology, you will need to gain practical experience in that area. Once you've achieved these qualifications, you can advance your career through training, education, experience, and various certifications. 

1. Earn your nursing degree or complete an apprenticeship 

To meet the educational qualifications of an oncology nurse, you may earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing or complete a registered nurse degree apprenticeship (RNDA). Each pathway has its requirements to enroll in the degree or apprenticeship programme. Once you complete your bachelor’s degree or RNDA and then register with the NMC, you need to pursue work in the oncology field, like in an oncology ward, to gain experience. You can then pursue a master’s degree in oncology nursing, teaching you about specific areas of this job, such as pathophysiology, pharmacology, and symptom management.

2. Register with the NMC 

Once you’ve obtained your nursing degree or completed your apprenticeship, you qualify to register with the (NMC), the regulatory body for nurses practising in the UK. 

3. Gain work experience

Once you register with the NMC, you'll need to gain clinical experience before becoming an oncology nurse. Typically, you want to work in oncology wards or cancer treatment centres to develop a thorough understanding of how this sector of nursing functions.

You should also explore specialties within the oncology field, such as paediatric oncology, acute oncology, or colorectal oncology, to determine if you prefer working with a specific population or patient type.

4. Hone your skills

Being an oncology nurse can be one of the most emotionally rewarding and challenging jobs in healthcare. However, to perform your job well, you'll need to combine medical expertise with emotional intelligence to help the best patients suffering from some of the most critical health conditions. 

Some of the workplace skills you should work on honing include:

• Communication: Communication is essential to most jobs that involve working with patients, but as a nurse, you'll need to take it to the next level. You'll need to find ways to connect with patients emotionally and look for nonverbal signs to figure out what someone isn't telling you about their mental or physical state.  

• Empathy: Empathy and compassion allow you to put yourself in the shoes of your patients and their loved ones and make decisions based on what you want for your health.   

• Collaboration: As an oncology nurse, you're part of a team that includes your patients, their loved ones, physicians, nursing assistants, and other healthcare workers. Working together to develop the best patient options can be the key to a positive outcome. 

5. Choose an area of specialisation 

Consider choosing an area in which to specialise in the oncology nursing field. For example, urology, hepato-bilary oncology, or haematology. To specialise in an area of oncology, you can take short courses, such as one in acute oncology offered by King’s College London, Liverpool University, or The Royal Marsden School. Though optional, specialising can deepen your understanding of oncology nursing and set you on a career path you enjoy best. 

6. Consider continuing professional development

Consider continuing professional development (CPD). Doing so can help you remain current regarding cancer treatment while providing you with potential future career prospects and a possible pay rise.

You have several options when undergoing CPD as an oncology nurse. Regarding acute oncology, you can take courses with the National Acute Oncology Education, Training, and Assessment Working Group, a multidisciplinary group including UKONS, Health Education England, and Macmillan Cancer Support, and focusing on developing online learning programmes and a competence framework for healthcare professionals treating acute oncology patients. 

Furthermore, the CPD website offers various options to enhance your knowledge of nursing. A few are the Verification of Expected Death (VoED) for registered nurses, a course about treating haematology (blood cancer), one that combines lifestyle with cancer care, and one that introduces you to the position of Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS).

Looking to advance further?

Should you advance your career as an oncology nurse even further, you might consider earning a master's degree in nursing. Earning your master’s degree is ideal for oncology nurses who want to deepen their skill set in this field. 

Next steps toward a career in oncology nursing

Oncology nurses must continuously learn to keep up with an ever-changing field. If you're interested in starting or advancing your career as an oncology nurse, consider completing a cost-effective, flexible programme on Coursera.

For example, the Cancer Biology Specialisation from Johns Hopkins University, offered on Coursera, enables you to learn essential cancer biology, metastasis, and prostate cancer skills. It also helps you better understand cancer’s impact on the human body.