One of the most challenging career paths available to a registered nurse is becoming a pediatric oncology nurse. Only 1% of all cancer diagnoses in the United States are pediatric malignancies in a specified period. However, critical care for a child with cancer is incredibly challenging. Even though there is an 85% five-year survival rate for children with cancer, treatment is extremely difficult for children who lack the cognitive maturity to understand that their lives are in critical condition. Scroll down to learn more about what pediatric oncology nurses do, how to get into the field, and how much money they make.let us know about that the Salaries For Pediatric Oncology Nurse.
The majority of pediatric oncology nurses’ salaries vary between $84,903 (25th percentile) and $128,099 (75th percentile), with top earners (90th percentile) getting $167,463 annually in California. However, the salary can be as high as $171,296 and as low as $29,294, respectively. California is the highest paying state for Pediatric Oncology Nurses, who make an average salary of $107,941 per year. If you are looking for a quick salary estimator, it comes out to roughly $ 51.89 per hour and $8995 per month, more precisely $2,075 per week.
Who is a Pediatric Oncology Nurse?
Before we move or dig deep into the areas of Pediatric Oncology Nurse, let’s have an introductory review of the following terms;
- Pediatrics: This means all related to infants/children. Pediatricians are the doctors or health care workers who deal with maintaining the health, fitness, and wellness of children and adolescent patients besides treating their ailments.
- Oncology: It is a branch that deals with how to treat and diagnose neoplasia, or tumors generally called cancers.
Generally, these specialized nurses are responsible for delivering care to young kids or infants undergoing cancer treatment. These pediatric oncology nurses are highly specialized and are in a delicate and critical position. Preparing patients for chemotherapy, providing palliative care, and cooperating with other healthcare professionals are just a few of the specific duties.
Qualification requirements for pediatric oncology nurse:
– One normally requires a bachelor’s degree in nursing along with clinical experience to work as an oncology nurse in pediatrics. Although it’s not necessary, obtaining oncology nurse certification is enough and is mostly preferred by many jobs.
– Obtaining a license and registration is the next step. To work as a pediatric oncology nurse, you must be a registered nurse (RN). You need to apply for a license in the state where you want to work and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN), which is conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, (NCSBN).
-The final step is obtaining certification in basic life support. Most jobs require certification in pediatric advanced life support provided by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation.
What does a Pediatric Oncology Nurse do?
Let us prescribe some job expression as well as the duties/responsibility of a pediatric oncology nurse. They are as follows;
– Generally, they take care of kids dealing with cancer or tumors. They are just there to administer medicines, take vitals and follow the nursing care as prescribed by their Doctors. Draw blood to perform diagnostic tests.
– They are responsible for reinforcing the side effects of medication (both chemotherapy and radiotherapy) and what the patient needs to do to manage those side effects.
– Parents of ill kids are anxious and have a lot of questions, as oncology is an unfamiliar subject, so patient education is super important. Pediatric Oncology nurses are there to respond to queries about the progression of illness as well. Patient education is super important as oncology is unfamiliar territory.
Their main work is to administer chemotherapy. As chemotherapy is a hazardous drug and there are health risks related to handling it, there is always a chance that they could react to that medication. The oncology nurse is in charge of keeping an eye on the patient, identifying when they are reacting, and handling that reaction properly. That does seem a little alarming, but of course, they are trained for it.
Factors affecting their salaries?
Now the most important thing is to determine how much money one will earn as a pediatric oncology nurse. It depends upon some important factors detailed below.
1. The location of where you work and live is a huge factor in how much money you make. Some states have a higher average salary than others. For example, pediatric oncology nurses in California make about $167,000 annually while those in Alabama make around $83,000 annually. Another important factor is if you work in a major city or not. Generally speaking, working in a big city means that you will get paid more than working in a smaller town or rural area.
The top five highest-paying cities for a pediatric oncology nurse are:
- San Francisco: : $1,50,000
- Hawaii: $1,40,000
- Massachusetts: $1,30,000
- Oregon: $1,30,000
- New York: $1,20,000
2. The amount of money you make as a pediatric oncology nurse will usually depend on your level of expertise. Your pay will increase as you gain more experience in the field. Here’s how experience can impact your pediatric oncology nurse’s salary, according to government statistics.
- Entry-level (less than 1 year): $70,000
- Initial stage (1 to 4 years): $75,000-80,000
- Midway through one’s career (5 to 9 years): $90,000
- Experienced (10 to 19 years): $1,20,000
- 20+ years into one’s career: $1,50,000
3. Nurses who work in settings like hospitals often make a little more money than those who work in clinics. This is because hospital hours are often more hectic, tiring, and long than those at a clinic.
Conclusion
Children who are battling cancer often have to go through tough treatments like chemo and radiation therapy. This can be very demanding and emotionally tough not only for the children but also for the nurses who have to provide support and comfort to them and their families. Despite the challenges, these nurses are still enthusiastic about their work and are dedicated to providing the best possible care for their patients. Being a pediatric oncology nurse is a lot of responsibility. You are responsible for the lives of young cancer patients. But it also comes with a sweet amount of money.
FAQs
- What Is A Pediatric Oncology Nurse’s Starting Salary?
All around the United States, a pediatric oncology nurse can expect to make an entry-level salary of $34.88 per hour, $6,050 per month, or $72,560 per year.
- What are the top-paying countries for pediatric oncology nurses?
USA, Canada, and Ontario are the top 3 highest countries for pediatric oncology nurses.
- How long does it take to become a pediatric oncology nurse?
From education through residency, becoming a pediatric oncology nurse is a fully fleshed journey that could take up to three years
