The Oncology Nursing Podcast

“The nurse’s role in monitoring the lab values really depends on the clinics you're working at, but really when our patients are receiving treatment, especially in the infusion center, the nurses should be looking at those lab values prior to treatment being started,” Clara Beaver, DNP, RN, AOCNS®, ACNS-BC, clinical nurse specialist at Karmanos Cancer Center in Michigan told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS during a conversation about how to monitor and educate patients with cancer.  Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod   Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0   Earn [#] contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by November 29, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.   Learning outcome: The learner will report an increase in knowledge related to monitoring labs and educating patients with cancer. Episode Notes   Complete this evaluation for free NCPD.  Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes:  Episode 319: Difficult Conversations About Pregnancy Testing in Cancer Care Episode 311: Standardized Pregnancy Testing Processes in Cancer Care Episode 183: How Oncology Nurses Find and Use Credible Patient Education Resources  Episode 179: Learn How to Educate Patients During Immunotherapy  Episode 87: What Are the Biggest Barriers to Patient Education?  Episode 43: Sharing Patient, Provider, and Caregiver Resources  ONS Voice articles:   Patient Education Reduces Barriers and Increases Adherence Rates  Nurses Must Understand Health Disparities to Provide Effective Patient Education  Oncology Nurses Can Improve Oral Medication Management With Patient Education Program  ONS Course: ONS Fundamentals of Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Administration™  Oncology Nursing Forum article: Antineoplastic Therapy Administration Safety Standards for Adult and Pediatric Oncology: ASCO-ONS Standards Clinical Calculations—ANC Huddle Card To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.    To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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.   “Your traditional chemotherapy agents are the ones that we see the most lab abnormalities with, and we can predict those a little bit more with the advent of more of the advanced targeted therapies and immunotherapies, we still see lab values that are altered because of the way that the treatment works, but they may differ a little bit than what we traditionally saw with our normal chemotherapy agents.” TS 2:51  “I talked about the lifespan of all the other cells, and Neutrophils are usually what stop treatment, and part of that is, is that the lifespan of a neutrophil is 48 hours. It is proliferated very frequently in the bone marrow. But that is usually what we see. The cells that we see that stop treatment, and as you mentioned earlier, classic chemotherapy really the types of treatment that historically, we've been given and we have given to patients, and we've seen those blood counts really significantly impacted.” TS 6:21  “Kidney function, or renal function tests, are really determined whether the kidneys are functioning the way they should be. We look at an estimated glomerular filtration rate, or GFR, which is really based on the patient’s protein level, their age, gender, and race. And the test really looks at how efficiently the kidneys are clearing the waste from the body. So that’s really one that we need to look at, especially as we’re giving agents that are excreted through the kidneys.” TS 12:23  “I think it’s important for nurses to start looking at lab results with their patient very early on, you know, even before treatment starts, so they understand what the normals look like. So when they do get those lab results, because now pretty much everybody has patient portals, right? So the labs are reported in there, and they’re seeing the labs before they're talking to their providers.  if we can start early on and talk to them about what the normal lab values are, what they mean, and what we're looking at when we're drawing these labs. I think it’s really important for the patient.” TS 27:00

“Although the patient is spending a little less time in the clinic, the administration actually requires the nurse to be at the chairside the entire time. This has allowed nurses to spend potentially uninterrupted time to sit and converse with the patients that they may not have had with an IV infusion. It’s been a wonderful unintentional outcome from the development of the large-volume subcutaneous injections,” Crystal Derosier, MSN, RN, OCN®, clinical specialist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, in Boston, MA, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about administering high-volume subcutaneous injections in cancer care. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by November 22, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: The learner will report an increase in knowledge related to the administration of high-volume subcutaneous injections. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD.  Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes: Episode 326: Intramuscular Injections: The Oncology Nurse’s Role Episode 285: Transarterial Chemoembolization: The Oncology Nurse’s Role Episode 271: Intraventricular and Intrathecal Administration: The Oncology Nurse’s Role Episode 265: Intravesical Administration: The Oncology Nurse’s Role Episode 252: Intraperitoneal Administration: The Oncology Nurse’s Role ONS Voice articles: Administration Considerations Amid the Large-Volume Subcutaneous Injection Revolution FDA Approves Atezolizumab and Hyaluronidase-Tqjs for Subcutaneous Injection Make Subcutaneous Administration More Comfortable for Your Patients Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Pertuzumab, Trastuzumab, and Hyaluronidase-Zzxf Subcutaneous Injection ONS Voice Oncology Drug Reference Sheets ONS book: Access Device Guidelines: Recommendations for Nursing Practice and Education (Fourth Edition) ONS course: ONS/ONCC Chemotherapy Immunotherapy Certificate™ Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing article: Subcutaneous Administration: Evolution, Challenges, and the Role of Hyaluronidase Oncology Nursing Forum article: Administration of Subcutaneous Monoclonal Antibodies in Patients With Cancer To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities. To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “Some challenges with subcutaneous injections are with the administration, especially when we’re thinking about large-volume drugs. … Some of these patients who have been through multiple therapies, they’ve been on a long journey, or just in general they may have small amounts of subcutaneous injection areas and tissues, so that could be problematic. … Also, some patients may want to go back to receiving IV medications if they experience severe pain at an injection site during administration, or maybe they had a site-related reaction. This is where the nurses play a huge, crucial role in the administration of these subcutaneous drugs.” TS 5:17 “When administering large-volume subcutaneous injections, good ergonomics is very important during the administration because this can help reduce the fatigue and discomfort not only for [nurses] but for the patients as well. If you’re trying to hold the needle in place for 5–10 minutes, it’s a lot of work. Your arms can start to shake, and that shaking can cause discomfort for the patient as well. The utilization of a winged infusion set for these large volumes allows more space between the patient and the nurse, which supports better ergonomics.” TS 11:20 “When they came to the market, there was an unfounded concern from patients and practitioners that these injections would not be as effective as their IV counterparts. This is totally incorrect. We know that these options have the same efficacy and may actually also help to reduce the incidence of any infusion-related reactions, as well as lower side-effect impacts on patients, so overall, a lot of improvement with these high-volume subcutaneous injections for the patient experience.” TS 21:37 “I’m just really looking forward to the future landscape of oncology practice and drug approvals and drug administration. It’s so important that subcutaneous injections have really made a name for themselves in nursing practice today. We continue to see more subcutaneous formulations on the market that are available for patients, allowing them less time in infusion chairs and more flexibility and freedom outside of the healthcare setting.” TS 24:39

“The gravity of the responsibility was realized when you walked into the boardroom and you’re there to make decisions, and the perspective you have to take shifts. Of course, I bring to the table my expertise and my perspective, but the decision-making and strategy behind it is really geared at sustaining the organization and moving us towards our mission, which is to advance excellence in oncology nursing and quality cancer care. Being able to reframe your perspective a little bit around those decisions is something that you don’t realize until you’re there to do that,” ONS director-at-large Ryne Wilson, DNP, RN, OCN®, told Brenda Nevidjon, MSN, RN, FAAN, chief executive officer at ONS, during a conversation with the three new 2024–2027 directors-at-large on the ONS Board. Nevidjon spoke with Wilson, Heidi Haynes, MN, CRNP, OCN®, and Susan Yackzan, PhD, APRN, AOCN®, about their careers, paths to serving on the Board, and passions in oncology. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.75 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by November 15, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: The learner will report an increase in knowledge related to the key roles of the ONS Board of Directors. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD.  Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes: Episode 270: Meet the ONS Board of Directors: Brown, MacIntyre, and WoodsEpisode 239: Meet the ONS Board of Directors: Allen, Mathey, and RobisonEpisode 224: Meet the ONS Board of Directors: Nevidjon, Geddie, and GarnerEpisode 213: Meet the ONS Board of Directors: Brant, Burger, and KnoopEpisode 200: Meet the ONS Board of Directors: Houlihan, Ferguson, and Polovich ONS Voice articles: Climate Change Is Contributing to the Cancer Burden, and Nurses Must Take Action Mentorships Open Opportunities for Oncology Nurses’ Career Growth and Wellness Oncology Nurse Joins Panel to Discuss Solutions to Advance Equitable Cancer Care for the LGBTQ+ Community Seeds Planted Today Nurture a Harvest of Future Generations of Oncology Nurses Find Your Voice With ONS’s Leadership Development Committee ONS courses: Advocacy 101: Making a Difference A Guide to Chapter Leadership: Chapter President Training A Guide to Chapter Finances: Chapter Treasurer Training Board Leadership: Nurses in Governance ONS LeadershipONS Leadership Learning LibraryONS Network and Advocacy Resources Joint Position Statement from APHON, CANO/ACIO, and ONS Regarding Fertility Preservation in Individuals with Cancer To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities. To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 Wilson: “After graduating and moving to Minnesota, I immediately joined the Southeast Minnesota chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society and served on the board and a few different positions, as membership chair and as the legislative liaison for the chapter, as well. And I had the opportunity to go to my first ONS Congress®. That really opened my eyes to all of the possibilities and all the really incredible work that so many of our colleagues across the country have been doing, which really was inspiring and really made me want to do more. I took on more volunteer opportunities within society—things like the OCN® Passing Score Task Force with ONCC, as a Biomarker Database expert reviewer, the Symptom Intervention Guidelines reviewer, and several other volunteer opportunities, just to stay connected and build relationships, but also give back to the profession that had really given so much to me.” TS 10:06 Haynes: “What I’ve been learning is how to transfer that passion and leadership experience that I learned at the local level and grow them into bigger-picture skills, sort of switching my hat and supporting our oncology nurses on more of a global level. I would say for those interested in a national Board position but unsure how they would navigate being new to the role, I can tell you the personal support of the new Board members has been wonderful. Brenda, you and the more senior members of the Board and the National ONS team have all been welcoming and willingly share their knowledge. We even get assigned a Board buddy, and I have to give a shoutout to my Board buddy, Trey Woods, who has graciously—more than graciously—put up with all of my questions and pestering along the way.” TS 16:39 Yackzan: “Well, the health of the organization is a responsibility. So that’s what you’re giving yourself over to and the task. The chapter board is just on a much more local and scaled back level. I mean this reaches a different proportion. So, you know, it’s not that it was the prior. I just think the full impact of it sort of comes to you when you’re in the Board meeting and you’re thinking through those things. The budget committee is one of the committees that I’m on, and I’m happy to report that we’re very healthy. And that’s because of the great stewards who came before me, and so, like everybody else on the Board, we feel the impact of making sure that that continues because oncology nursing is essential. We must continue to go forward.” TS 18:18

“Under normal conditions, EGFR [epidermal growth factor receptor] is in an auto-inhibited state. And it’s only when it’s needed that it’s upregulated. But when you have cancers that there is either a mutation in the EGFR or an overexpression, what you see is a dysregulation of normal cellular processes. So you get overexpression or switching on of prosurvival or antiapoptotic responses,” Rowena “Moe” Schwartz, professor of pharmacy practice at James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, told Lenise Taylor, MN, RN, AOCNS®, BMTCN®, oncology clinical specialist at ONS, during a conversation about the EGFR inhibitor drug class. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by November 8, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: The learner will report an increase in knowledge related to EGFR inhibitor drugs. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD.  Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes: Pharmacology 101 series Episode 250: Cancer Symptom Management Basics: Dermatologic Complications Episode 226: Patient Education for Next-Generation Sequencing to Guide Cancer Therapy Episode 169: How Biomarker Testing Drives the Use of Targeted Therapies Episode 157: Biomarker Testing Improves Outcomes for Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer ONS Voice articles: Management Strategies for Cutaneous Toxicity From EGFR Inhibitors Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Amivantamab-Vmjw Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Osimertinib Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Panitumumab Targeted Therapies Are Transforming the Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer ONS books: Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Guidelines and Recommendations for Practice (Second Edition) Clinical Guide to Antineoplastic Therapy: A Chemotherapy Handbook (Fourth Edition) ONS courses: ONS Cancer Biology™ ONS/ONCC Chemotherapy Immunotherapy Certificate™ Safe Handling Basics Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing articles: Afatinib Therapy: Practical Management of Adverse Events With an Oral Agent for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment Cutaneous Toxicities With Amivantamab for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Practical Guide and Best Practices Medication Adherence Barriers: Development and Retrospective Pilot Test of an Evidence-Based Screening Instrument ONS Guidelines™ for Cancer Treatment–Related Skin Toxicity Nursing Management of Skin Toxicities in Diverse Skin Tones ONS Bispecific Antibody Video ONS Learning Libraries: Genomics and Precision Oncology Oral Anticancer Medication Oral Chemotherapy Education Sheets Seminars in Cancer Biology article: EGFR signaling pathway as therapeutic target in human cancers To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities. To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “It wasn’t until 2004 that the mutations affecting the tyrosine kinase domain of epidermal growth factor receptor was linked to the responses that were seen in gefitinib. And that’s when we really started to understand the way that this was targeting certain patients’ cancers. So that led to the phase three study. People may remember the IPASS study that demonstrated that when patients had an activating mutation of EGFR, that that was a really good biomarker that selected out patients that would respond to therapy.” TS 2:58 “The new player on the market is the bispecific. … This was a bispecific that was developed to hit two different targets. The one target is EGFR. The second target was MET. And the reason MET was targeted is because when you have patients who are on EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, they do so well. But over time, resistance develops. And one of the mechanisms that are thought to be important for resistance is that MET pathway. So it was a development of a bispecific antibody that hit two different targets, EGFR and MET, hoping that you would get less resistance.” TS 7:12 “The other thing that I see with these agents is seeing them combined with chemotherapy. For a long time, it was these drugs were used as the single approach to someone with non-small cell lung cancer who had an EGFR mutation, and they did well. But I think we’re starting to see that because resistance does develop, that there may be roles for combination with chemotherapy, and you’re seeing that in terms of drug approval.” TS 19:10 “I think that people that don’t work in the clinic, say, with non-small cell lung cancer—they think of these as a group and don’t realize the uniqueness of specific agents, what mutations that they hit that affected those that penetrate into the [central nervous system], the drug interactions that are specific for certain agents. So I think that’s one of the common misconceptions.” TS 22:02 “The education, because it evolves so rapidly, is to realize that what you know, if it’s from a year ago, may not be the full picture. And so again, I’m going to call out ONS for the phenomenal resources on the Genomics and Precision Oncology Learning Library to help providers learn. And that is updated, and it is readily available. I think it is phenomenal, and I think it helps people build on their basic understanding of any of these types of therapy, including EGFR inhibitors.” TS 23:24

Episode 335: Ultrasound-Guided IV Placement in the Oncology Setting “Much like many experienced oncology nurses, I learned how to do IVs with palpation. I got really good at it. And so I thought, there’s no way I need this ultrasound. But we know now that our patients are sicker. There are more DIVA patients, or difficult IV access patients. We’ve got to put the patient first, and we’ve got to use the best technology. So I’ve really come full circle with my thinking. In fact, now it’s like driving a car without a seatbelt,” MiKaela Olsen, DNP, APRN-CNS, AOCNS®, FAAN, clinical program director of oncology at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Health System told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about ultrasound-guided IV placement. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by November 1, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: The learner will report an increase in knowledge related to ultrasound-guided peripheral IV placement in the oncology setting. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD.  Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes: Episode 127: Reduce and Manage Extravasation When Administering Antineoplastic Agents ONS Voice articles: Access Devices and Central Lines: New Evidence and Innovations Are Changing Practice, but Individual Patient Needs Always Come First Standardizing Venous Access Assessment and Validating Safe Chemo Administration Drastically Lowers Rates of Adverse Venous Events ONS book: Access Device Guidelines: Recommendations for Nursing Practice and Education (Fourth Edition) ONS courses: Complications of Vascular Access Devices (VAD) and Intravenous (IV) Therapy Vascular Access Devices Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing article: Standardized Venous Access Assessment and Safe Chemotherapy Administration to Reduce Adverse Venous Events StatPearls Video: Forearm Anatomy Review and Ultrasound Probing Infusion Nurses Society: Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice (Ninth Edition) To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities. To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “The benefit of having an ultrasound, it allows you to see through. You’re no longer sort of bound by, ‘Can I feel it? Are there skin discolorations or skin colors that are affecting my ability to see the vein clearly?’ You don’t have to worry about any of that. Is there edema? Is there lots of tissue? You can actually directly visualize the veins to assess not only the health of the vein, but some of the complications that could be there, like a thrombus in the vein or sclerosis or tortuous anatomy, arteries, nerve bundles. Those are things that you can now see with your machine.” TS 8:55 “I think that the most important part of [training] is having a really good didactic session where nurses come in and they learn reminders about the anatomy. Where are these veins? Where are the best veins to canulate when you’re using ultrasound? And we like to avoid the veins above the antecube for regular long peripheral IVs that we insert with ultrasound because we want to preserve those veins up higher for our [peripherally inserted central catheter] lines and midline. So we want to teach to try to use the forearm. The cephalic vein in the forearm is a really excellent vein to choose.” TS 17:24 “[Patients] are usually kind of impressed with the machine and the technology, and I explain that ‘We’re not able to get it without being able to see better, so I’m going to use my machine so that I can see better.’ And almost every time after I’m done, the patient is like, ‘Wow, are you done?’ … It’s the initial little puncture that hurts the patient. But unlike when we do it blindly and maybe we don’t get it right in the vein, and we’re having to dig around and reposition ourselves and get into that vein, we’re not doing that with ultrasound because you’re going to go into the vein, and then you're starting to do the threading, and you’re pulling your probe up as you go to get that catheter in the vein. The patient doesn’t feel that part. So they often comment about how they barely felt it and they can’t believe it’s over.” TS 21:21 “This is kind of my measure of success when we’re no longer kind of putting this on the patient. We’re not saying, ‘You have difficult veins. Your veins roll. You’re not drinking enough.’ That’s not okay anymore. We’ve got to take responsibility and use technology to do this more successfully.” TS 30:24

“There is an old saying that if you ignore your teeth, they’ll go away. I think that’s a true, true statement. People may think they can get away without daily hygiene. I think that’s kind of important, that you should at least get your teeth taken care of at least once or twice a day by brushing and flossing. I mean this has been proven. Our dental people have really taken the lead on preventive care with oral hygiene in that respect,” Raymond Scarpa, DNP, APN-C, AOCN® clinical program manager of head and neck oncology and supervisory advanced practice nurse in the department of otolaryngology at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey at University Hospital in Newark,told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about the importance of oral health for patients with cancer. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by October 25, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to oral care for patients with cancer. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD.  Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes: Episode 269: Cancer Symptom Management Basics: Gastrointestinal Complications Episode 116: Screen and Manage Malnutrition in Patients With Cancer ONS Voice articles: Manage Late Effects From HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancers Nursing Considerations for Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship Care Research Shows That Vaping Alters Mouth Microbes The Case of the Missing Oral Mucositis What Advanced Practice Providers Need to Know About Oral Mucositis ONS book: Clinical Manual for the Oncology Advanced Practice Nurse (Fourth Edition) ONS course: Introduction to Nutrition in Cancer Care Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing articles: Dental Care: Unmet Oral Needs of Patients With Cancer and Survivors HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer: The Nurse’s Role in Patient Management of Treatment-Related Sequelae Low-Level Laser Therapy: A Literature Review of the Prevention and Reduction of Oral Mucositis in Patients Undergoing Stem Cell Transplantation ONS Symptom Interventions: Mucositis American Cancer Society Oral Cavity (Mouth) and Oropharyngeal (Throat) Cancer Palliative Treatment for Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Cancer Head and Neck Cancer Alliance To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities. To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “Radiation, with or without a combination of chemotherapy, can lead to xerostomia, which is like a dry mouth. When this occurs, there’s reduced or even absent salivary flow. When this happens, it can lead to mucositis, which is a very painful swelling of the mucous membranes in the oral cavity. This increases the risk of infection and compromises speaking, chewing, and swallowing. Certain chemotherapeutic agents can also accelerate and increase the severity of these side effects.” TS 3:54 “I think pretreatment of the oral cavity prior to starting any of these treatments is a key to managing some of the side effects that can occur. This includes a referral to the dentist for any kind of extractions and removal of any nonviable dentation, along with providing some what they call fluoride treatments. The nurses can also influence the patient by helping them with their nutrition. It’s important for them to continue to try to swallow despite some of the side effects that can cause the discomfort in swallowing.” TS 6:53 “I always encourage [patients] to try to use soft-bristle toothbrushes, [water flossers] if necessary, soft foods, nonspicy foods, foods with moderate temperatures. … Try to make sure that they have enough lubrication to get the nutrition they need by including some gravies or sauces or water to help them swallow when their saliva is altered due to these side effects from the treatments.” TS 10:18 “I’ve been working in the head and neck cancer field for quite some time, and over the years, I’ve come to realize that this is probably one of the most devastating types of malignancies that someone has. … Head and neck cancer and oral cancers—they affect your basic survival needs. They affect your ability to communicate. They affect your ability to take in nutrition. They can affect your ability to breathe and certainly affect when someone looks at you. It’s right there. It’s staring them in the face. You can see the side effects of their treatments.” TS 22:41

“CDK4/6 inhibition is considered to be a milestone in the realm of targeted breast cancer therapy. The combination of CDK4/6 inhibitors with the endocrine therapy has really emerged as the foremost therapeutic modality for patients diagnosed with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative, advanced breast cancer,” ONS member Teresa Knoop, MSN, RN, AOCN®-emeritus, independent nurse consultant in Nashville, TN, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during the latest episode in our series about anticancer drug classes. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.75 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by October 18, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to CDK inhibitors. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes: Pharmacology 101 series Episode 329: Pharmacology 101: BRAF Inhibitors Episode 313: Cancer Symptom Management Basics: Other Pulmonary Complications Episode 295: Cancer Symptom Management Basics: Pulmonary Embolism, Pneumonitis, and Pleural Effusion Episode 80: Patients Need Checkpoint Inhibitor Education Episode 5: New Guidelines for Managing Immunotherapy-Related Adverse Events ONS Voice articles: Combination CDK4/6 and Fulvestrant Has Survival Benefits in Late-Stage Breast Cancer FDA Approves Inavolisib With Palbociclib and Fulvestrant for Endocrine-Resistant, PIK3CA-Variant, HR-Positive, HER2-Negative, Advanced Breast Cancer FDA Approves Ribociclib With an Aromatase Inhibitor and Ribociclib and Letrozole Co-Pack for Early High-Risk Breast Cancer FDA Expands Early Breast Cancer Indication for Abemaciclib With Endocrine Therapy FDA Warns of Rare Lung Inflammation With Certain CDK4/6 Inhibitors Manage Immunotherapy-Related Diarrhea and Colitis Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Ribociclib The Case of the CTCAE Assessment for CDK4/6 Adverse Events ONS book: Clinical Guide to Antineoplastic Therapy: A Chemotherapy Handbook (fourth edition)Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing article: Targeted Therapies: Treatment Options for Patients With Metastatic Breast CancerONS Symptom Intervention: Prevention of Infection: General ONS Breast Cancer Learning Library ONS CDK4/6 Administration Checklist ONS Oral Anticancer Medication Toolkit Breastcancer.orgSusan G. Komen: CDK4/6 InhibitorsIbrance® (palbociclib) patient siteKisqali® (ribociclib) patient siteVerzenio® (abemaciclib) patient site To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.  To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “Common toxicity among this class of agents are things like nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue. All three are associated with low white blood cell counts, which we know as neutropenia, which can cause an increased risk of infection.” TS 10:46 “All three of these CDK4/6 inhibitors are pills taken by mouth, and in most cases they’re all given along with endocrine therapy treatments. So, patients will be taking more than one drug. Teach patients how they will take their medication. And the frequency among the three drugs may vary.” TS 13:33 “Patients and caregivers need to know the time of day to take the pills, whether they need to be taken with or without food, or what to do if they miss a dose. We need to help them with a system for organizing the medications. They may find it helpful to use a pill organizer or set reminders on their smartphone, their smartwatch, their computer.” TS 14:29  “Pharmacy and nursing, in my experience, collaborate greatly by determining those drug–drug and drug–food interactions. It is so crucial in determining those interactions and educating our patients because we have to remind patients at each appointment and review these drugs and foods and other things they may be taking, at each appointment. And that often can be done by either pharmacists or nurses or both in collaboration.” TS 23:29 “This class of drug is generally well-tolerated, and I do want nurses to know that that we can help patients with these side effects. And they are generally well-tolerated with appropriate management.” TS 30:55

“Nurses really are the professionals who educate how to take these medicines, why we use multimodal therapies, why it isn’t medicine alone—helping patients to understand that pain is a biopsychosocial spiritual phenomenon, and the pills are just going to hit one little aspect of that entire phenomenon,” Judy Paice, PhD, RN, director of the cancer pain program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, IL, told Lenise Taylor, MN, RN, AOCNS®, BMTCN®, oncology clinical specialist at ONS, during a conversation about nursing practices for cancer pain management. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 1 contact hour of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by October 11, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to managing pain in patients with cancer. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes: Episode 165: Safely Administer and Prescribe Opioids for Cancer-Related Pain Episode 3: Opioids, Addiction, and Complex Care  ONS Voice articles: Alternative Funding Programs: Don’t Be Fooled by Promises of 'Free' Specialty Cancer Drugs CMS’s Chronic Pain Experience Journey Map Will Help Patients and Providers Latest CDC Clinical Practice Guideline Facilitates Safe Use of Opioids for Pain What the Evidence Says About Tai Chi in Cancer Care ONS book: Clinical Manual for the Oncology Advanced Practice Nurse (fourth edition)ONS courses: Essentials in Advanced Practice Symptom Management Treatment and Symptom Management—Oncology RN Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing articles: Effects of a Nurse-Initiated Telephone Care Path for Pain Management in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Receiving Radiation TherapyPain Management RevisitedSymptom Distress: Implementation of Palliative Care Guidelines to Improve Pain, Fatigue, and Anxiety in Patients With Advanced Cancer Oncology Nursing Forum articles: Barriers for Nurses Providing Cancer Pain Management: A Qualitative Systematic ReviewFraming Cancer Survivors’ Access to and Use and Disposal of Prescribed Opioids Within the Opioid EpidemicInterventions for Managing a Symptom Cluster of Pain, Fatigue, and Sleep Disturbances During Cancer Survivorship: A Systematic Review ONS Position Statement: Cancer Pain ManagementONS Learning Library: Pain ManagementDiagnostics article: Diagnosing Pain in Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Current State and Novel Technological SolutionsEnd-of-Life Nursing Education ConsortiumHarvard Implicit Association TestNational Cancer Institute’s Cancer Pain PDQ Health professional version Patient version Opioid Risk ToolPain Medicine article: A Tactile Pain Evaluation Scale for Persons With Visual Deficiencies To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.  To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “Who do patients speak to about their pain? They’re often afraid to tell their oncologist, and studies have backed this up. The patient is worried that if they admit to more symptoms, they won’t be able to enroll in that clinical trial, so they talk to us, the nurse. And part of our role is to encourage that dialog and assess the pain fully.” TS 7:00 “The nonpharmacologic, which is equally important—and I see these as partners in relief, not as one versus the other. But we may have physical measures like [physical therapy] and [occupational therapy] and orthotics, heat and cold. We may have more emotional or psychological kinds of therapies—cognitive behavioral techniques. We may have integrative measures—mindfulness guided imagery, yoga, tai chi. And some of these kind of transcend multiple categories.” TS 15:57 “For breakthrough [pain], we try to again treat the underlying cause. If this is an unstable vertebral body, is a kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty a possibility for this patient? If there’s compression of nerve roots, might an epidural steroid injection or some other interventional procedure help, so that when the patient stands—and that’s often what we see the breakthrough pain occurring—or moves position, maybe we can provide some relief that’s more directed to the site of pain or source.” TS 24:35 “I set expectations. Again, this is where nurses are key. It is so important that you use these medicines for pain. Yes, they’re going to make you feel a little bit less anxious, a little warm and fuzzy, and maybe even help you fall asleep at night, but you cannot use them for that purpose. You can only use these medicines for pain control. We have other medicines to help you if you’re feeling anxious or if you’re having trouble sleeping at night. And if you use your opioids for those purposes, you are going to get into trouble.” TS 41:11

“One of the biggest things we’ve heard in nursing school and we continue to hear in practice is it takes anywhere from 15 to 20 years for knowledge in the literature to reach practice in a significant way. The DNP was designed to speed that up. We don’t want the best practices in literature to take 15 years. We want it to take 1 or 2 at best,” James Q. Simmons, DNP, AG/ACNP-BC, acute care nurse practitioner at Epic Medical Group in Los Angeles, CA, and founder of drjamesqsimmons.com, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about how DNP- and PhD-prepared nurses can collaborate to advance patient care and research. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by October 4, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to strategies for DNP and PhD collaboration. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes: Episode 323: What It’s Like to Participate in an ONS Think Tank Episode 248: The Basics of Evidence-Based Practice for Every Oncology Nurse Episode 150: Career Planning for Oncology Nurses ONS Voice articles: Adopt an Evidence-Based Practice Model to Facilitate Practice Change Oncology Nurses Drive Discovery in Cancer Clinical Research Overcome Barriers to Applying an Evidence-Based Process for Practice Change Research Has a Role for Every Oncology Nurse Strengthen a Commitment to Practice Change Through EBP Immersions The Difference Between Quality Improvement, Evidence-Based Practice, and Research What the Next Generation of Nurse Researchers Learned From the ONS Precision Symptom Science Workshop ONS courses: Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice Professional Practice for the Advanced Practice RNProfessional Practice—Oncology RN Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing (CJON) articles: Introducing the DNP Projects DepartmentSEEK™: A Program to Implement Evidence-Based Practice and Transform Oncology Nursing Practice CJON call for manuscripts: DNP-PhD Collaborative Work Manuscript Submissions Oncology Nursing Forum articles: Considerations for the Doctor of Nursing Practice DegreeThe Research Doctorate in Nursing: The PhD ONS Learning Libraries: Evidence-Based Practice Leadership ONS Spirit of Inquiry Worksheet To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.  To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “Nurses are expertly and perfectly positioned to be the leaders in [artificial intelligence] and technology, and reduction in workforce, and robotics, and all these different things that are happening in our healthcare system right now. I think nurses are primed to be the leaders of that, not just the ones reacting to it. And I think we become the leaders of that by having really, really eloquent, really fine-tuned PhD and DNP collaboration.” TS 6:42 “We had 30 people in this room all ‘speed dating’ each other. They were told beforehand to bring their 30-second elevator pitch; bring their business cards, either electronic or in person; bring what they’re looking for; bring a fun attitude. … There were two individuals who were focused on pediatric populations, both working on vaccine initiatives in marginalized and underserved communities, and they had no idea that each other had existed.” TS 12:59 “I think we’ve got to think about how we approach our own profession in service of our patients and the communities that we serve. We’ve got to think about things differently, and I think that we as nurses are the ones to do that. We are in such a sweet spot where we can be innovators, and we can be quick thinkers because we are, and we’re so highly educated and so highly experienced as a profession, that we’ve got to take as much of this knowledge as we can and share it with everyone and figure out what the best practices are going to be.” TS 19:14 “I think it’s also really important to acknowledge that PhD nurses are not just our friends in ivory towers who don’t practice and haven’t seen the inside of a clinic or listened to a patient’s lung sounds in 38 years. Sure, there are some of those PhD nurses that exist right now, and we need them. They play a valuable role. But that’s not all that being a PhD nurse means. There are plenty of PhD nurses who are doing really incredible things in the grind, in the hustle, on a day-to-day basis.” TS 24:07

“The reality is that we are responsible for creating a culture of safety together for everybody in the clinical area. We have to think not only about ourselves and our personal risk, but how exposure to these hazardous drugs persists in the work environment for everybody. And we have to be part of the solution for everybody, even if it’s not something that we’re personally really worried about being exposed to,” AnnMarie Walton, PhD, MPH, RN, OCN®, CHES, FAAN, associate professor at Duke University School of Nursing in Durham, NC, told Lenise Taylor, MN, RN, AOCNS®, BMTCN®, oncology clinical specialist at ONS, during a conversation about updates to the fourth edition of Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs, one of ONS’s book publications. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by September 20, 2026. AnnMarie Walton serves in a compensated consultant role with Splashblocker LLC and as a compensated speaker for BD. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learner will report an increase in knowledge related to safe handling of hazardous drugs.  Episode Notes Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes: Episode 325: What Changed in the 2024 ASCO/ONS Antineoplastic Administration Safety Standards Episode 308: Hazardous Drugs and Hazardous Waste: Personal, Patient, and Environmental Safety ONS Voice articles: Hazardous Drug Surface Contamination Prevails, Despite More Diligent PPE Strategies to Promote Safe Medication Administration Practices ONS books: Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Guidelines and Recommendations for Practice (second edition) Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs (fourth edition) ONS courses: ONS/ONCC Chemotherapy Immunotherapy Certificate™Safe Handling Basics Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing articles: Environmental Risk Factors: The Role of Oncology Nurses in Assessing and Reducing the Risk for ExposureOral Chemotherapy: A Home Safety Educational Framework for Healthcare Providers, Patients, and CaregiversOral Chemotherapy: An Evidence-Based Practice Change for Safe Handling of Patient WastePersonal Protective Equipment Use and Surface Contamination With Antineoplastic Drugs: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Oncology Nursing Forum articles: Factors Influencing Nurses’ Use of Hazardous Drug Safe Handling PrecautionsRandomized Controlled Trial of an Intervention to Improve Nurses’ Hazardous Drug Handling ONS Learning Library: Safe Handling of Hazardous DrugsJoint ONS and Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association position statement: Ensuring Healthcare Worker Safety When Handling Hazardous DrugsONS Voice video: Hazardous Drug Surface Contamination—The Science Behind the Study To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.  To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “We know that this book is used in practice sites across the country and increasingly around the world, and we have the privilege of answering lots of questions of ONS’s members routinely. And we’ve also been part of writing guidance documents for ONS. And so, we utilized, as well, some of those questions that have come to us, and we know what people want to know more about. So we’ve made sure that we’ve developed a book that would be the most helpful in clinical practice settings.” TS 2:42 “We ensured that the book was in alignment with all of the most recent organizational position statements, standards, and recommendations. And there have been some big ones between the publication of the third and fourth book. So USP 800 is one that everyone knows about, and that became enforceable in November of 2023. … The ONS/HOPA [Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association] position statement, which was most recently updated in 2022, was also folded into this book. NIOSH [National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health] came out with two new guidance documents in 2023, and I had the opportunity to serve as a reviewer on one and a contributor to the other. Those two NIOSH guidelines have been folded into this book And then the ONS Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Guidelines and Recommendations for Practice, which MiKaela Olsen was a lead editor on and I was an author for, have also been folded into this text.” TS 7:01 “We’ve understood the NIOSH hierarchy of controls for years, and if we look at that hierarchy, it tells us that PPE is important but also the least effective when it comes to controlling exposure. And what’s slightly more effective is administrative controls, which are things like changes in our practices, more education, and training. And then even more powerful than administrative controls are engineering controls, and these are your closed-system transfer devices, for example, that are really important in minimizing exposure.” TS 10:31 “[Toilet pluming] is a place that I, for better or worse, spend a lot of time. And I have a colleague, Tom Connor from NIH [National Institutes of Health], who likes to joke when people ask him about his work. He says, ‘Oh, it’s in the toilet.’ And so I’m going to steal that from him and say a lot of my research is in the toilet, too.” TS 13:16 “I feel like people don’t know how contaminated toilets are and how contaminated floors are. And I’ve already told you my tip about leaving your work shoes outside. But I think if people were more aware that the toilets and the floors are often the most contaminated places on a unit, there would be more attention paid to people who are coming into contact with those surfaces and bear a lot of the exposure risk.” TS 22:51

“One of the things that’s really challenging with these BRAF inhibitors, plus MEK inhibitors, is that there’s a huge scope of potential toxicity, and they’re not all going to happen. So I think that there’s a real need to educate patients that they need to work with us so that when a toxicity develops, we can help address it. We can help think of strategies, whether it be medication strategies or whether it be other types of strategies, to make them feel better,” Rowena “Moe” Schwartz, PharmD, BCOP, FHOPA, professor of pharmacy practice at James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about the BRAF inhibitor drug class. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by September 13, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to BRAF inhibitors.  Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. Oncology Nursing Podcast episodes: Pharmacology 101 series Episode 242: Oncology Pharmacology 2023: Today’s Treatments and Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs ONS Voice articles: First-Line Combination Immunotherapy Prolongs Survival in BRAF Advanced Melanoma Predictive and Diagnostic Biomarkers: Identifying Variants Helps Providers Tailor Cancer Surveillance Plans and Treatment Selection BRAF Mutations Guide Treatment in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Melanoma Prevention, Screening, Treatment, and Survivorship Recommendations Nursing Considerations for Melanoma Survivorship Care ONS books: Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Guidelines and Recommendations for Practice (second edition) Clinical Guide to Antineoplastic Therapy: A Chemotherapy Handbook (fourth edition)  Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing article: BRAF/MEK Inhibitor Therapy: Consensus Statement From the Faculty of the Melanoma Nursing Initiative on Managing Adverse Events and Potential Drug InteractionsOncology Nursing Forum articles:  Antineoplastic Therapy Administration Safety Standards for Adult and Pediatric Oncology: ASCO-ONS StandardsMAPK Pathway–Targeted Therapies: Care and Management of Unique Toxicities in Patients With Advanced Melanoma ONS Learning Library: Oral Anticancer MedicationONS Biomarker DatabaseOral Chemotherapy Education Sheets To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.  To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “BRAF is a gene found on chromosome 7 that encodes for protein that is also called BRAF. And this protein is really important in cell growth and signaling and promoting cell division, as well as some other functions. When you have a variant in BRAF, this causes that gene to turn on the protein and to keep it on. That means there’s a continual signaling to the cell to keep dividing and there’s no instruction to stop dividing.” TS 2:24 “[Side effects] are things like pyrexia, fatigue, muscle aches, those things. There is definitely rash. And as I mentioned, there are those secondary skin cancers, which are significantly less with the combination with MEK inhibitors. GI [gastrointestinal] toxicities are not uncommon. Different patients, different tolerance in terms of like nausea, taste changes. I think taste changes are one of the ones that are really challenging.” TS 10:17  “How to get rid of the agents when they’re done—I love that our institution has a program where they can bring them back, and we can help them get rid of it, because people just don’t know how to get rid of them when they’re no longer taking them. And you really don’t want them having them around the house.” TS 15:28 “Don’t assume that you can modify formulation. So if there is someone who can’t take oral pills and has to use a suspension, some drugs, there’s clear indications how to do that. Other ones there’s not. So collaborating on that is a really good thing. I hear too much where people will say, ‘Just crush the pill.’ These are not the drugs that you want to do that with.” TS 23:07

“Supportive personnel have a great ability to connect with patients and peers, and if that’s utilized effectively, it will make a great, great, great, great place to work, with great people to work with, because utilizing the supportive personnel and the great connections that they have, assistive personnel are kind of a lot of times the middle piece, and we don’t utilize it in that way,” Danielle Steele Anderson, CST II, NA II, research assistant at UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, NC, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about how supportive personnel are improving staffing and patient care in oncology units. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by September 6, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to the role of supportive staff in the care of people with cancer. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episode: Episode 160: Build Innovative Staff Education Tools and ResourcesONS Voice article: Upskilled Medical Assistants Can Improve Quality and Efficiency of Cancer CareONS book: Oncology Nursing: Scope and Standards of PracticeONS Learning Library: Staffing2023 ONS Congress poster presentation: Building a Staffing Plan for the FutureAnderson’s ONS Congress® poster presentation: The Development of an Assistive Personnel Role to Support Quality Initiative Compliance and Improve Patient Outcomes on an Inpatient Hematology/Oncology UnitNational Guidelines for Nursing Delegation To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.  To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “I worked on a 53-bed oncology unit that had limited staff and resources to complete audits on things like central lines, Foleys, tubings, turn compliance, falls—different things like that. Our nurses were dealing with high patient acuity and task overload, so one of our amazing CN4s came up with this awesome rule as a cost-effective way to perform and sustain quality improvements on our unit.” TS 3:15  “Even before this role, I never thought about being on a committee. I never even knew that assistive personnel could even be on committees. I thought committees were tailored more toward nursing. But being in this committee, I feel like involving assistive personnel in committees, can number one, empower them and boost their morale, which in turn, can have higher job satisfaction, good retention.” TS 11:42 “Encouraging assistive personnel and participating in continuing education programs that may be offered to learn more about oncology-specific care, teaching clinical skills that may be within the scope of practice. With this position, I am able to do a lot of tasks that are beneficial to both our nurses and assistive personnel.” TS 16:08  “Opportunities to shadow with nurses during procedures can kind of give us that hands-on learning experience to know more about specific things that are going on and what to monitor with patients. And then also it just will help build connections within our healthcare team and your workplace and your unit.” TS 16:59

“It’s not often in life that you find something that gives you this feeling, but I’m really so fortunate to have found mine, and I know this is only just the beginning, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds. I definitely owe a lot of that to the Oncology Nursing Society for opening up all those doors for me and really getting me into this field.” Samantha Paulen, BSN, RN, told Jessica MacIntyre, DNP, MBA, APRN, AOCNP®, 2024–2026 ONS president, during a conversation about student nurses entering the oncology field. MacIntyre spoke with Paulen and Tayler Covino, BSN, RN, both recent graduate nurses, about why they chose oncology nursing as a specialty. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Episode Notes  NCPD contact hours are not available for this episode. Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes: Episode 191: Explore Orientation Opportunities for New-to-Practice Nurses Episode 20: Advance Your Career Through Awards, Grants, and Scholarships ONS Voice articles: Nursing Students Connect Beyond the Classroom With ONS Resources One Oncology Lecture Isn’t Enough Nurse Residency Programs Improve New Graduate RNs’ Transition to Clinical Practice Train and Retain: From Orientation to Leadership, Here Are the Strategies That Experienced Staff Developers Use Innovative Programs Help Institution Grow Its Own Nursing Workforce Oncology Nurses Enhance Cancer Care Through Mentorship Opportunities Nursing Team Shares Process of Training a New Nurse in Oncology Outpatient Care ONS book: Cancer Basics (third edition)ONS courses: ONS Cancer Basics™ONS Cancer Biology™ ONS Oncology Nurse Orientation Preceptor Bundle™ Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing articles: American Association of Colleges of Nursing: New Essentials, Quality and Safety DomainCan a Recent Nurse Graduate Thrive in the Oncology Setting?Prelicensure Nursing Students’ Attitudes Toward Patients With Cancer Revisited ONS Learning Library: Nurse Orientation ONS Undergrad/Pre-Licensure Core Competencies ONS Career GuideONS Resources for Student Nurses To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.  To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing PodcastÔ 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 “I was first drawn to oncology nursing freshman year of high school when my grandmother, who was my ultimate best friend, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and by the time they had caught it, it had metastasized to nearly every surrounding organ. And as I mentioned earlier, my grandmother was a nurse. So being a nurse, she was very stubborn, and when she finally had gone to the hospital after having a variety of symptoms, it was almost too late.” (Paulen) TS 7:27  “There’s really nothing more special to me than being able to develop relationships with my patients and support them throughout their journey. It’s incredibly rewarding making such a difference in their lives and being able to witness the strength and resilience of patients battling cancer, and it’s such an inspiration. Being able to provide my support both medically and empathetically is truly such an honor.” (Paulen) TS 10:04  “I also had a family member who was diagnosed with cancer. He was my uncle. And I witnessed firsthand the impact that compassionate and knowledgeable oncology nurses had on his treatment, and it really did leave such a lasting impact on me. … This experience deeply inspired me, and I just always wanted to be part of a team that offers hope and comfort to their patients and their families.” (Covino) TS 12:10  “I touched on my pediatric oncology clinical rotation, but I really do think it gave me insights into caring for younger cancer patients. This experience really emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to nursing, considering not just medical but also the emotional and developmental needs of children who are battling cancer.” (Covino) TS 24:05 “I also joined ONS as a student, so it was a large part of my college education and really gave me great access to resources, being able to attend meetings, and just stay updated on the latest in oncology nursing with the articles that they send out and just provided me with great networking opportunities with so many experienced oncology nurses who have such a wide breadth of knowledge.” (Covino) TS 24:27 “Practicing mindfulness and meditation has also been incredibly helpful in staying grounded and managing the emotional stress. These practices help me stay present. They reduce anxiety and maintain a positive outlook, even in these challenging environments. It’s really important to just set emotional boundaries as well to avoid burnout.” (Covino) TS 33:05 “There’s such a fulfillment that you get for making a significant impact on patients’ lives, and that’s what inspires me and should inspire others to consider this specialty. There’s also a lot of growth opportunities, and I think it’s really important to emphasize the growth opportunities within the field. And also just the advancements in cancer treatment can attract new nurses because there really is so much advancement in the field of cancer treatment.” (Paulen) TS 42:59  “I feel that specifically in this specialty, oncology nurses in particular are so much more willing to help versus they say that sometimes some nurses may eat their prey or whatever they might say. But I really think that oncology nurses are so willing to help, but sometimes you just have to really expose yourself and open up that door.” (Paulen) TS 45:07

“One of the big misconceptions is that this is just a quick shot. And this is a patient’s treatment regimen. So, it is not just a quick shot. It is treatment, and we need to get it where it is supposed to go so that the patient’s, cancer treatment is not impacted,” Caroline Clark, MSN, APRN, OCN®, AG-CNS, EBP-C, director of evidence-based practice and inquiry at ONS, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about administering intramuscular (IM) injections in oncology. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by August 23, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to the administration of antineoplastic medications by IM injection. Episode Notes Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes: Episodes on administration topics Episode 324: Pharmacology 101: LHRH Antagonists and Agonists Episode 316: Pharmacology 101: Estrogen-Targeting Therapies ONS Voice article:  Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Asparaginase Erwinia Chrysanthemi (Recombinant)–RywnONS books: Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Guidelines and Recommendations for Practice (second edition) Clinical Guide to Antineoplastic Therapy: A Chemotherapy Handbook (fourth edition) ONS course: Introduction to Evidence-Based PracticeONS Huddle Card: Hormone TherapyAmerican Journal of Therapeutics article: Body Mass Index: A Reliable Predictor of Subcutaneous Fat Thickness and Needle Length for Ventral Gluteal Intramuscular InjectionsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention resources: Administering Vaccines: Dose, Route, Site, and Needle Size Vaccine Administration: General Best Practices for Immunization Concordia University Ann Arbor School of Nursing video:  Ventrogluteal identificationElsevier Clinical Skills: Medication Administration: Intramuscular Injections—Acute CareHealthline article: Z-Track Injections OverviewJournal of Advanced Nursing article: Does Obesity Prevent the Needle From Reaching Muscle in Intramuscular Injections?Journal of Clinical Nursing article: Dorsogluteal Intramuscular Injection Depth Needed to Reach Muscle Tissue According to Body Mass Index and Gender: A Systematic ReviewJournal of Nursing Research article: Gluteal Muscle and Subcutaneous Tissue Thicknesses in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisNational Institute of Occupational Safety and Health: Hazardous Drug Exposures in Health CareNovartis education sheet: Additional Considerations for Dorsogluteal and Ventrogluteal Intramuscular InjectionsOncology Nurse Advisor article: Large-Volume IM Injections: A Review of Best Practices To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.  To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “More frequently oncology nurses are using intramuscular injection techniques when giving certain hormonal therapies for cancer treatment and for cancer symptom management. Some examples of those are fulvestrant for treatment of hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, leuprolide as androgen deprivation therapy in prostate cancer. This is also used off label for breast cancer management. It’s used for premenopausal ovarian suppression and also in noncancerous conditions like endometriosis and uterine fibroids.” TS 2:04 “Inadvertent injection into the sciatic nerve is one of the most common causes of sciatic injury. It has significant morbidity associated with it. And even for drugs like fulvestrant, the prescribing information notes reports of sciatica, neuropathic pain, neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy—all related to dorsogluteal injection.” TS 6:09 “When administering an IM injection to someone who is cachectic, you don’t want the subcutaneous tissue to bunch up. So you can kind of stretch this over with your nondominant hand, as in the Z-track method, and then grasp the muscle between your thumb and index finger. That’s going to help you ensure that you’re getting that muscular injection.” TS 11:47  “Z-track is a way that you inject so that there’s no leakage back out into the subcutaneous space. Clean your area as usual. You displace the skin and the subcutaneous tissue that’s over that muscle, and then you inject slowly into the muscle. Once you remove the needle, then you release that tissue. And it kind of seals it over and prevents that leakage back up into the subcutaneous space.” TS 14:19 “I think ventrogluteal injection is less commonly done. There are documented issues with confidence in landmarking and giving it to that site, so practice is necessary. A great way to identify the ventrogluteal site on yourself to start is to stand up and put your hand at your side. You feel for the top of that iliac crest. Place your hand right below the iliac crest and then just start marching in place. You’re going to feel that muscle contraction right away. This also works when you abduct your leg. Abducting the leg is helpful when a patient is at a side-lying position to give a ventrogluteal injection—you feel that muscle contraction.” TS 17:06 “I wish it would be front of mind to encourage adverse event reporting related to any injection you’re giving. These types of reports—they drive improvement measures and monitoring. And then when things are underreported, it leads us to anecdotal reports. So really monitoring any change, trying to get some baseline data on adverse events with injection is really important.” TS 26:32

“These evidence-based standards provide a great framework for best practice in cancer care and the 2016 publication is extensively referenced. However, patient care mistakes and medication errors still happen. So, it’s imperative that we review the current literature and look for new evidence that’s been published,” ONS member MiKaela Olsen, DNP, APRN-CNS, AOCNS®, FAAN, clinical program director of oncology at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Health System told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about the new Antineoplastic Therapy Administration Safety Standards for Adult and Pediatric Oncology from ASCO and ONS. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by August 16, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to increasing safety of antineoplastic medication administration. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD.Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes: More episodes about antineoplastic administration Episode 209: Updates in Chemo PPE and Safe HandlingEpisode 142: The How-To of Home Infusions ONS Voice articles: Are You Following the Latest Chemo Safety Recommendations? Hazardous Drug Surface Contamination Prevails, Despite More Diligent PPE Respect Patients’ Religious Hair Wraps or Coverings When Taking Accurate Height and Weight Measurements ONS books: Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Guidelines and Recommendations for Practice (second edition) Clinical Guide to Antineoplastic Therapy: A Chemotherapy Handbook (fourth edition) Oncology Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs (fourth edition) ONS courses: ONS Fundamentals of Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Administration™Safe Handling Basics Antineoplastic Therapy Administration Safety Standards for Adult and Pediatric Oncology: ASCO-ONS StandardsOncology Nursing Forum article: ASCO/ONS Antineoplastic Therapy Administration Safety StandardsONS Learning Library: Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.  To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “The target population for these standards are, first, our patients—adult and pediatric patients with cancer who are receiving antineoplastic therapy—but as well as those who care for patients with cancer. And we’re not distinguishing between the healthcare worker, the caregiver, all people who care for patients with cancer, including those practitioners or healthcare workers that are not in a traditional oncology setting.” TS 3:25 “The audience is, first of all, oncology clinicians. We spent a lot of time on this panel writing the definition, so it was very clear who people were as we use terminology in the standards. So, an oncology clinician, when we refer to that in the standards, that's a licensed nurse, like a nurse or pharmacist, a licensed clinician, or it could be a non-licensed clinician like a patient care assistant or tech. So, we refer to people as clinicians that are licensed or unlicensed.” TS 4:14 “We need to define all types of therapy for cancer, and chemo is one type of treatment modality. The explosion of new therapies that include cellular therapies such as CAR T and other exciting emerging treatment options are not our traditional chemotherapy. And so the term antineoplastic was agreed upon for all these therapies to treat cancer. That definition in the standards is, and I quote, ‘All antineoplastic agents used to treat cancer regardless of the route.’ And that’s important because the previous guidelines were not as inclusive about that.” TS 6:58 “Another high-level change was the new language about the location of administration to include new healthcare settings. We know that antineoplastic medications are given in a variety of settings, not just your typical inpatient or ambulatory oncology infusion center anymore. We’ve got health plans that are increasingly developing strategies to direct patients to more convenient and less costly sites of service, such as the physician’s office or home infusion, unregulated sites, and more care is being given in these settings. So, it’s really important that we adapt the standards to make sure those patients treated in the home or in a freestanding center are given the same opportunity for safety and quality.” TS 8:39 “The other thing in Domain 1 that I think is crucial for nurses to understand, because it’s a big change, and we made this change based on the literature, looking at patient safety events related to inaccurate weight and height measurements. Domain 1 has a standard 1.7 that says weight and height are measured and documented in the medical record in metric units only. And I see that a lot when I’m going around the country. People still have their scales and pounds and their height in inches, and we’ve got to change that. We shouldn’t be converting things. Both the measurement and the documentation are verified by two individuals, one of whom is a licensed clinician. Prior to preparation and administration of a newly prescribed antineoplastic treatment plan.” TS 13:32 “That third verification is an independent safety check and, in my opinion, should be done in a quiet place where you can go through and do the safety checks that are listed in the standards quietly and thoughtfully, without being in the presence of the patient or caregiver. Those are done in an attempt to do some preliminary safety checks to make sure that when I go in the room to do my safety checks—we often call those bedside safety checks—that if I have an error before that with a dose or something, I’ve caught that before I get to the patient’s side.” TS 20:52

“A lot of the efforts have been made to improve the patient experience for these treatments, as they can be given for years at a time. For example, when leuprolide debuted way back in 1985, it was a daily injection. But four years later, they developed the monthly depo formulation. Now we have formulations that are approved for administration once only every three, four, and even six months,” Andrew Ruplin, PharmD, clinical oncology pharmacist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, WA, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about the luteinizing hormone–releasing hormone (LHRH) antagonist and agonist drug classes. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by August 9, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to LHRH antagonists and agonists. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. Oncology Nursing Podcast episodes: Pharmacology 101 series Episode 321: Pharmacology 101: CYP17 Inhibitors Episode 242: Oncology Pharmacology 2023: Today’s Treatments and Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs Episode 154: New Drug Approvals for Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer Episode 113: Manage Cancer-Related Hot Flashes With ONS Guidelines™ ONS Voice article: Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: RelugolixONS books: Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Guidelines and Recommendations for Practice (second edition) Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs (fourth edition) Guide to Breast Care for Oncology Nurses ONS course: Safe Handling Basics ONS Guidelines™ and Symptom InterventionsONS Huddle Card: Hormone TherapyONS Learning Libraries: Breast Cancer Cancer of the Genitourinary Tract Oral Chemotherapy Education SheetsNational Comprehensive Cancer Network On the Treatment of Inoperable Cases of Carcinoma of the Mamma: Suggestions for a New Method of Treatment, With Illustrative Cases (by George T. Beatson) To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.  To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing Podcast™ Club in your chapter or nursing community, visit the Oncology Nursing Podcast Library. To provide feedback or otherwise reach ONS about the podcast, email pubONSVoice@ons.org. Highlights From This Episode “Between all of these agonists and antagonists, there’s a broad spectrum of applications, including hormone-positive breast cancer, androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer, uterine cancer, and then other non-cancer uses like uterine fibroids, and assisted reproduction fertility treatments, and other things too.” TS 3:24 “In the education of my female patients, I basically use the analogy that it is functionally inducing menopause in that person, so there can be changes to mood and cognition, energy level fatigue, body morphology, and shifts in fat distribution metabolism, which can unfortunately increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. One that almost everyone’s familiar with is hot flashes, but also changes to bone mineral density, libido and physically to atrophy and dryness of vaginal mucosa, which can make sex for our patients more difficult as well.” TS 10:33 “A concept that’s familiar to all professionals in the care of prostate cancer is that because LHRH agonists cause an initial increase in testosterone, which can, in essence, feed the cancer, some patients can experience worsening symptoms of their cancer, such as difficulty voiding their bladder pain, or even vertebral collapse or spinal cord compression when bone metastases are present. This is a really serious issue that should be considered ahead of starting an agonist in these patients.” TS 12:39 “I don’t think we’ll see any dramatic changes in treating breast cancer, since the role of these agents is a lot more limited and simply really exist to suppress estrogen and premenopausal patients. But as a referral center that routinely sees patients with breast cancer and their 40s and 30s and even their 20s, it’s crucial to consider these agents in their role for not only actively treating certain types of breast cancer, but also in preserving fertility for patients who desire to have children and they are receiving gonadotoxic chemotherapy.” TS 25:32

“Instead of creating silos, how can we work together, create networks, and elaborate more in the future? Because we have such a robust wealth of knowledge and expertise, that ONS is very good at helping to facilitate that,” Jan Tipton, DNP, APRN-CNS, AOCN®, clinical assistant professor in the School of Nursing at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about her volunteer experience in a think tank held during the 2024 ONS Congress®. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.25 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by August 2, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to participation in professional collaboration opportunities. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD.  Volunteer Opportunities on ONS CommunitiesOncology Nursing Podcast episodes: Episode 320: What It’s Like to Be a Peer Reviewer or Associate Editor for an ONS Journal Episode 309: What Brings You to ONS Congress®? ONS Voice articles: What Brings You Value in ONS? You Can Thank a Volunteer for That The Power of Connection in Oncology Nursing ONS Health Policy Priorities and AgendaONS Resources for ResearchersLuma Institute: Abstraction ladderingAmerican Organization of Nursing Leadership think tanks National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists health policy think tanks To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities. To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “Individuals that would be helpful for this type of think tank would be those that view themselves as change agents, those who are willing and motivated to confront uncomfortable truths, persistent issues, that might think of a better way to do things. In addition, people that are highly inquisitive, curious, eager to learn, and those that have out-of-the-box type thinking, flexible, creative, and would work well in this group environment.” TS 3:29 “We all came from very diverse backgrounds, all over the country, and it was a great opportunity to blend our backgrounds in academia, clinical practice, and then be able to share not only some of the dilemmas and hardships that we see, but then to recommend some actions for the future.” TS 6:12 “But things that sparked my interest were things that were very small scale and then things that were very large scale that everyone could benefit from hearing. And one that comes to mind was, in a very small way, how can we collaborate with our various backgrounds and PhDs and DNPs and have more of a meet-and-greet? We’re sometimes in our silos. And how can we create opportunities for each other to learn from each other, to have these meetings, maybe in social venues, to learn about interests, research, collaborations in the future?” TS 6:55 “I think it’s important to challenge yourself to be open to new ideas, to keep an open mind. Consider that your idea may not be agreeable to everyone. So to think through, everyone that you may be participating with and have a heightened awareness of all the differences that we may have in our different backgrounds, gender, characteristics that we believe in, in terms of our practice. So thinking through those things in advance and being open to new ideas, I think, is really important and sort of self-reflecting before the event.” TS 15:41

“I think poor discharge planning is that top contributor [to readmission]. And by that, I mean discharge planning that doesn’t assess a patient’s educational level, their support at home, what resources they have, like transportation and finances, and then to go further, evaluating if the patient even understand the reason they were admitted and then how to manage their care once they leave. There’s only so much we can treat in the hospital. what happens at home is what we need to prepare our patients for,” Stephanie Frost, MN, RN, OCN®, manager of outpatient clinics at City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago in Illinois, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about preventing hospital readmissions in patients with cancer. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by July 26, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to nursing strategies to reduce readmission rates for patients with cancer. Episode Notes Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. Oncology Nursing Podcast episodes: Cancer Symptom Management Basics series Episode 193: How Social Determinants of Health Affect Cardio-Oncology Survivorship Episode 107: Social Determinants Lead to Unequal Access to Health Care ONS Congress® presentations: Implementing Continuous Care Program and Streamlined Care Team Communication to Reduce Hospital Readmission and Emergency Department Visits (coauthored by Stephanie Frost)Improving Readmission Rates Through Transitional Care Management for Oncology Patients at Highest Risk for Readmission ONS Voice articles: Cross-Discipline Cancer Care: Oncology Nurses Share Specialized Knowledge With Non-Oncology Settings Postdischarge ICI Patient Education Eliminates Hospital Readmissions Symptom Management Strategies You May Not Be UsingTransitions in Care: Communication Builds a Bridge of Consistent Support for Patients ONS books: Oncology Nurse Navigation: Delivering Patient-Centered Care Across the Continuum (second edition) Telephone Triage for Oncology Nurses (third edition) ONS courses: Treatment and Symptom Management—Oncology RNClinical Journal of Oncology Nursing articles: Decreasing Readmission Rates in Patients With Immune-Mediated Toxicities Using an APRN-Led Discharge Teaching ProgramPatient Handoff Processes: Implementation and Effects of Bedside Handoffs, the Teach-Back Method, and Discharge Bundles on an Inpatient Oncology Unit Oncology Nursing Forum articles: Predictors of Unplanned Hospitalizations in Patients With Nonmetastatic Lung Cancer During ChemotherapySystematic Review of Hospital Readmissions Among Patients With Cancer in the United States ONS Huddle Card: Handoff Communication ONS Guidelines™ and Symptom Interventions Healthy People 2030: Social Determinants of HealthJournal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology article: Uncovering and Addressing Implicit Bias in Oncology To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities. To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “Of course readmissions are inevitable, but ultimately, high rates may indicate that there’s a problem. Something is wrong. The quality of our care is not up to par. So looking at the rate of unplanned readmissions encourages hospitals to look inward, to see what’s going on, and find the gaps.” TS 2:31 “The number one thing we can do is review the patient’s social determinants of health. We’re seeing this assessment tool used more and more in the hospital system, and it can truly help identify high-risk patients. … But it really takes into consideration a patient’s environment, and it includes five components—access and quality of education, economic stability, healthcare access and quality, home environment, and then the patient’s community.” TS 5:17 “Recently, we had a patient that was seen in our ED [emergency department] for nausea and vomiting. And then due to that follow-up call the nurse made, she was able to get another set of labs drawn on the patient, found that they had an electrolyte imbalance, and then got the patient set up for fluids in an outpatient setting. So I think that really prevented that patient from going back to the ED, probably for the same reason they were there in the first place.” TS 18:00 “When we reviewed the data, we saw our readmission rates had dropped by 51% at the six-month mark, and same with our ED visit rates. And then our referrals to the continuous care team jumped 155%. … But we were able to discover some other opportunities through the process. So for example, through the chart audits completed, we were able to identify an increased need for our pain management services. There was a large number of patients that the reason for visit was pain, so we ended up expanding our templates for our pain management providers to meet that need and ultimately reduced the admissions for pain.” TS 22:38

Episode 321: Pharmacology 101: CYP17 Inhibitors “I think we’re in a scientific golden age for prostate cancer and probably cancer as a whole, but we’re talking about prostate cancer today. So I’m excited to be sitting on the front lines, seeing the new ways that we can help our patients. But I do still think CYP17 inhibitors will continue to be one of our main weapons against prostate cancer for a very long time,” Andrew Ruplin, PharmD, clinical oncology pharmacist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, WA, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about the CYP17 inhibitor drug class. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by July 19, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: The learner will report an increase in knowledge related to CYP17 inhibitors. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. Oncology Nursing Podcast episodes: Pharmacology 101 series Episode 242: Oncology Pharmacology 2023: Today’s Treatments and Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs Episode 154: New Drug Approvals for Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer ONS Voice article: The Case of the Genomics-Guided Care for Prostate CancerONS course: Safe Handling BasicsONS books: Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Guidelines and Recommendations for Practice (second edition) Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs (fourth edition) Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing article: Navigating Treatment of Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: Nursing PerspectivesOncology Nursing Forum articles: Interventions to Support Adherence to Oral Anticancer Medications: Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisONS Guidelines™ to Support Patient Adherence to Oral Anticancer Medications ONS Huddle Card: Hormone TherapyONS Biomarker Database (refine by prostate cancer)ONS Learning Libraries: Cancer of the Genitourinary Tract Oral Anticancer Medication Oral Chemotherapy Education Sheets To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities. To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “Identification of CYP17 as a target to decrease androgen production led to the first synthesis of a dedicated inhibitor of CYP17 named abiraterone acetate in the 1990s. But it would also not be until 2011, when there was sufficient evidence through clinical trials, for the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to approve abiraterone as treatment for castrate-resistant prostate cancer. And since then, abiraterone has been studied in many different stages of prostate cancer and has demonstrated clear benefits to survival for patients with metastatic or nonmetastatic prostate cancer and in the castrate-sensitive setting, as well.” TS 3:07 “Patients on abiraterone, regardless of the formulation that they get, they also have to receive an oral steroid every day while undergoing treatment due to the risk of that mineralocorticoid excess. … CYP17 inhibition by abiraterone leads to the loss of negative feedback on the adrenocorticotropic hormone, or ACTH, through a relative cortisol deficiency, which then results in higher levels of ACTH, which then cause the formation of excess precursors, including those mineralocorticoids that are upstream of the CYP17 inhibition step of androgen formation.” TS 14:04 “I recommend that patients take the standard formulation of abiraterone on an empty stomach. Conversely, I do recommend patients take their steroids with food to reduce the chances of [gastrointestinal] upset from their steroids. And so, I emphasize to these patients that abiraterone and the steroid do not need to be taken together at the same time, even though they are both a component of their treatment, and that they probably should, in fact, take them a little bit separately.” TS 23:00 “Now we’re really in the phase of studying combination treatments, and we’ve had some really good results so far. So, one of the combinations that made a splash a few years ago is what we call triplet therapy, so abiraterone plus docetaxel plus [androgen-deprivation therapy], docetaxel being a traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy that’s been used in prostate cancer for several decades now. But now we’re combining it with CYP17 inhibitors and other novel hormonal therapies, which has been exciting. So, this has been implemented into the standard of care for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.” TS 27:26

“In my role as an associate editor, I truly felt like I was bringing the voices of nurses who were new to oncology or new to writing forward. I was able to provide a venue for those oncology nurses who also wanted to bring forward some of the cool quality improvement projects that they were working on. I was really happy to share that knowledge through this role, so that all the other institutions can learn and maybe implement some of those solutions,” Megha Shah, DNP, FNP, OCN®, charge nurse at Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Delnor in Geneva, IL, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during about her experience volunteering as a peer reviewer and associate editor for the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing (CJON). Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Earn 0.25 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by July 12, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of NCPD by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to the role of a peer reviewer and associate editor for an ONS journal. Episode Notes  Complete this evaluation for free NCPD.  Volunteer Opportunities on ONS Communities Open Call for CJON Peer Reviewers Open Call for Oncology Nursing Forum Peer Reviewers Oncology Nursing Podcast episodes: Episode 73: Overcoming Challenges as a New Nurse Author Episode 25: How Publishing Can Advance Your Nursing Career – Part 2 Episode 24: How Publishing Can Advance Your Nursing Career – Part 1 ONS Voice articles: Publish Your First Article With ONS VoiceThe Power of Peer Review: With a Little Professional Polish, Your Work Will Shine Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing resources: For AuthorsPeer Review CJON Writing Mentorship Program Oncology Nursing Forum resources: For AuthorsPeer ReviewUpon Further Review: Peer Process Vital to Publishing ONS Career Development Learning LibraryONS Resources for Book Authors and EditorsONS Books Peer Review To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities. To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing 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 “I review an article for relevancy and accuracy, score the article, provide detailed comments and feedback on sections that need improvement or the sections that look wonderful and can go straight to publishing. After that, I submit the article to the editor. You have to meet the deadlines that are given. So, I could say an article on an average takes me about one to two hours to review, which is not bad. And you’re given about three or four days to review an article, so it’s very attainable.” TS 7:23 “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to be picked for the associate editor position because I did not have any prior experience when I applied. But then soon after I applied, I got a call from the editor of CJON that she had reviewed my resume, she had reviewed my application, and she would love for me to join the team. She couldn’t see me on the call, but I was jumping up and down.” TS 9:24 “It’s fun, it’s rewarding, and I promise it will help you at some point in your career or your personal life. Whether you’re helping to lead a project at work or helping your child to write a paper for school, it’s going to come in handy; I promise you.” TS 17:00 “I feel like one of the biggest common misconceptions is [that volunteering as a peer reviewer] is a lot of work and it’s boring. That’s what I hear some of the nurses say. I disagree with that. I feel like it’s a lot of fun, and it’s rewarding, and it’s a great opportunity. I feel like everybody should try it.” TS 18:47