Episode 381: ONS 50th Anniversary: The Evolution of Oncology Nursing Roles

"As ONS continues to look ahead, its commitment to shaping the future of oncology nursing remains unwavering. ONS is proactively developing the tools, capabilities, and strategies needed to support oncology nurses in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. ONS will continue to set the standard, ensuring that oncology nurses are equipped with clinical expertise, collaborative skills, technology proficiency, and mentorship necessary to thrive," ONS member Diane Barber, PhD, APRN, ANP-BC, AOCNP®, FAANP, FAAN, member of the ONS 50th anniversary committee, said regarding the continuously changing roles of oncology nurses. Barber spoke with ONS members Danelle Johnston, MSN, RN, HON-ONN-CG, OCN®, RuthAnn Gordon, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, OCN®, Tamika Turner, DNP, NP-C, AOCNP®, and Bertie Fields, MS, RN, about their experience in nursing roles in navigation, clinical trials, advanced practice, and the pharmaceutical industry and how these roles have evolved and may change in the future. The advertising messages in this episode are paid for by Natera. ONS is solely responsible for the criteria, objectives, content, quality, and scientific integrity of its programs and publications. Music Credit: " Fireflies and Stardust " by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0 Episode Notes This episode is not eligible for NCPD. ONS Podcast ™ episodes: ONS 50th anniversary series Episode 331: DNP and PhD Collaboration Strategies to Help Advance Oncology Care Episode 312: Virtual Nursing in Health Care Episode 304: Nursing Roles in FDA: The Drug Labeling and Package Insert Process Episode 302: Patient Navigation Eliminates Disparities in Cancer Care Episode 284: How AI Is Influencing Cancer Care and Oncology Nursing Episode 119: What Will the Future of Cancer Care Look Like in 2029? ONS Voice articles: Leadership Is the Foundational Competency for Oncology Nursing in 2029 New Technology Tools Help Oncology APRNs Improve Patient Outcomes Oncology Nurses Drive Discovery in Cancer Clinical Research The Oncology Nurse's Role in Interprofessional Collaboration in Clinical Research What the New CMS Reimbursement for Principal Illness Navigation Means for Oncology Nurses ONS books: Manual for Clinical Trials Nursing (third edition) Oncology Nurse Navigation: Delivering Patient-Centered Care Across the Continuum (third edition) ONS competencies: Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist Competencies Oncology Clinical Research Nurse Competencies Oncology Nurse Generalist Competencies Oncology Nurse Navigator Competencies Oncology Nurse Practitioner Competencies ONS course: Professional Practice for the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing articles: How Do I Evolve as a Research Nurse Practitioner? Incorporating Nurse Navigation to Improve Cancer Survivorship Care Plan Delivery Oncology Nurse Practitioner Competencies: Defining Best Practices in the Oncology Setting ONS Learning Libraries: Clinical Trials Nurse Navigation Connie Henke Yarbro Oncology Nursing History Center American Cancer Society National Navigation Roundtable To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities . To find resources for creating an ONS Podcast club in your chapter or nursing community, visit the ONS Podcast Library . To provide feedback or otherwise reach ONS about the podcast, email pubONSVoice@ons.org . Highlights From This Episode Johnston: "In the early years, navigation programs varied widely. We had minimal technology, no standardized training, and often tracked our work on spreadsheets and narrative notes. The broader healthcare team didn't always understand navigation, so educating colleagues in defining our role was essential. Today, navigation is becoming a well-established specialty. It's recognized by the Commission on Cancer, supported by [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] reimbursement codes, and integrated across diverse care settings. It's backed by evidence, standardized training, and emerging technologies that improve both patient care and program sustainability. I'm proud to have witnessed and contributed to the incredible evolution, and I'm excited for what's next in advancing navigation to better support patients and families." TS 6:20 Gordon: "When I was first introduced to the [clinical trial nurse] role, there weren't published competencies in order to learn the role or any real standardization of the role. And so when you worked in clinical trials, you kind of picked up things from the providers, from the other investigators on how you should operationalize the role. We've seen that evolve. We've seen ONS develop competencies, ONS come out with the clinical trial nursing manual. And our organization has been able to use those tools to standardize the practice of the clinical trial nurse across our institution. So we take those competencies, and they are the foundation of our program. And we've been able to build our program over the last decade, mostly by the use of the tools that ONS has and the ability to share knowledge." TS 14:22 Fields: "For nurses, many of my colleagues are going on to get master's in things other than nursing. They're getting master's in public health. They're getting master's in business. I have a colleague who is in [information technology], and so we should not limit ourselves. We should expand ourselves. And the more varied degrees that we have, we are more viable candidates for positions. I was never a clinical nurse specialist, even though that was my goal, but I have done above and beyond what I ever anticipated that I would do. And there are so many more new degrees for us to make us viable in this changing environment." TS 28:30 Turner: "It is vital that the current generation of oncology nurse practitioners take the lead to mentor the next generation. The next generation needs to be educated regarding the importance of oncology nurse practitioners, filling those critical gaps in health care by caring for patients in rural areas and those areas where healthcare resources are scarce. Technology should be utilized to bring oncology care—for example, office visits, imaging, and treatments—closer to those areas where patients live further away or have difficulty accessing transportation and health care. This will provide continuity of care." TS 32:42