What is it like being an Oncology nurse?

What is the difference between a pediatric oncologist and a pediatric oncology nurse?

• 1. What's the difference between the two? 2. Generally, which one makes more?

• Answer:

  A pediatric oncologist is a doctor who diagnoses and treats children with cancer. A pediatric oncologist's day will generally include doing exams on patients, writing chemo orders, ordering tests, doing bone marrow aspirations and lumbar punctures, meeting with families, deciding on treatment protocols, and more. A pediatric oncology nurse is a nurse who cares for children with cancer. A pediatric oncology nurse may work either in an outpatient clinic or an inpatient unit. A pediatric oncology nurse's day will generally include doing vital signs on patients, accessing ports and starting IVs, administering chemotherapy and other medication to patients, monitoring after anesthesia, assisting the doctor in the procedure room for BMAs and LPs, and more. A doctor makes more than a nurse. But I can tell you that nobody in the field of pediatric oncology goes into it for the money.