Oncology Nurse Practitioner (ONP) Career
What Do You Do in This Career?
Oncology nurse practitioners work with cancer patients by administering treatment, providing advice and collaborating with physicians to accompany a patient through their struggle and recovery from cancer. An ONP may be the first point of contact a patient has at an oncology clinic. They take patient health histories, perform exams, and order diagnostic tests, as well as help the doctors as their support staff.
Salary and Career Path
- Salary: Nurse practitioners in the field of oncology earn similar salaries to other specialized nurse practitioners, making around $62,436-$95,338 per year.
- ONP Requirements: ONPs need to get a bachelor’s degree, Master of Science in nursing, and a certification at the state or national level, which must be periodically renewed.
- Work Environment: ONPs typically work in cancer centers or private practices that care for cancer patients. An ONP may work with a cancer patient from diagnosis through treatment, recovery, and continued testing.
What Kind of Coursework Can You Expect in This Program?
Nurse practitioners already need their 4-year degree and RN license before enrolling in the master’s level NP program. Within the nurse practitioner master’s degree programs, the oncology specialty coursework includes acute care, pathophysiology, pharmacology, research, and clinical exams. Clinical training for ONPs take place with oncologists or hematologists, and other experienced nurse practitioners. Only 23 programs in the U.S. offer an ONP specialty.
Earn an Online Nurse Practitioner Degree
Online nurse practitioner programs have grown in popularity in recent years as more accredited schools have begun offering online alternatives to these degrees. Combining flexibility with the lack of campus visitation required these programs are ideal for working professionals. By clicking on links below, you can request information from each school about its tuition, classes, and programs.
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Georgetown University — Stationed out of Washington DC, Georgetown University is a cultural and social hub and is one of the oldest schools in the nation. The school has two online nursing programs available, an MSN in Family Nursing and an MSN in Midwifery and Women's Health. Georgetown is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. |
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Kaplan University — Kaplan University's online presence is almost unmatched, offering over 170 online degrees and programs, including MSN in Nurse Administration, MSN in Nurse Education, and MSN in Nurse Informatics. However, there are also 70 campuses across the country for those interested in a more traditional education. Kaplan is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. |
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University of Phoenix — While it may not be surprising that the University of Phoenix is based in Phoenix, AZ, the school does have over 200 additional locations around the country. Phoenix has more than 200 online programs available, with nursing degrees in Health Education, Health Informatics, and a general track. Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. |
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American Sentinel University — American Sentinel University is an online college focused on technology, business, and healthcare. The school offers several nursing programs like the RN to MSN bridge programs or the MSN in Nursing Informatics. All of these programs require no campus visitation and can be completed online entirely. ASU has an accreditation by the Distance Education and Training Council. |
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Capella University — Based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Capella University is an online school with over 37000 current students across the nation. Its online programs like MSN in Nurse Educator (Bridge option also available) have one-to-one tutoring, accelerated study, and low student to teacher ratios. Capella holds several accreditations, including The Higher Learning Commission and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. |
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