Adtalem and the Oncology Nursing Society are giving students a free preview of oncology nursing. We caught up with a Chamberlain University graduate about her 35-year career in the field.
Fran Fanning, MSN ’22, BSN ’17, thought she’d be an operating room nurse, but her first job was on a hospital oncology floor working with cancer patients. Over the subsequent 35 years, she’s enjoyed a career in nursing oncology that’s taken her into outpatient infusion centers and hospitals across the country in frontline roles and as a nurse educator.
As a student, Fanning didn’t have much of a view into the opportunities in oncology nursing, but students at Chamberlain University do now through its Practice Ready. Specialty Focused.TM (PRSF) program. As they near graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, they have the option to take a free 16-week course that covers cancer basics, treatment modalities and symptom management. The course was developed with the Oncology Nursing Society, which represents 100,000 oncology nurses. Adtalem announced the program in February.
Read about other PRSF specialty areas in “Solving the Nursing Shortage at the Specialty Level.”
Even without PRSF, Fanning knows she made the right choice in nursing. Today she’s an associate director of oncology nurse educators in the pharmaceutical industry.
“I’ve tried other things,” she says. “But it’s in my heart. It’s in my blood. Oncology nursing is who I am.”
The Rewards of Connecting with Oncology Patients
What draws Fanning to oncology nursing, especially in outpatient settings, is getting to know her patients and their families. “You see them on a weekly basis, through the ups and the downs. You get to have the laughs with them and the cries with them.”
She acknowledges that oncology nursing is hard, especially when you’ve made a connection with a patient who succumbs to cancer. At the same time, she adds, it is very rewarding.
she says. One thing fanning loves is seeing advancements in treatment options.
Champions of cancer care from Adtalem’s institutions are transforming the patient journey through empathy, innovation and advocacy. See how in “Advocacy and Innovation in the Fight Against Cancer.”
Upskilling in Nursing Oncology
There is always something to learn in oncology nursing, she emphasizes, from new treatments to ways to mitigate side effects. To help her advance her career, she earned two degrees online from Chamberlain University as a working adult raising a family. She chose Chamberlain because she knew its reputation from her colleagues and her mother, a 1984 alumna.
Advice for Nurses Considering Oncology
For nursing students considering oncology, Fanning recommends gaining a strong foundation by working in an outpatient setting where you can see a variety of patients. She also recommends getting involved with the Oncology Nursing Society. She’s held various leadership positions in her chapter, including president.
For those who want to advance in oncology nursing, she advocates for getting certified. “Certification speaks volumes about your commitment to patients, physicians, clinics and the profession,” she says.
Mobility within the profession—from clinics to hospitals to different patient populations—can help with burnout, she adds. “Don’t silo yourself. If you get burned out in one area, you can look at other settings for a change and to try something different.”
Learn more about how Adtalem is Championing Care.
For more information, email the Adtalem Global Communications Team: adtalemmedia@adtalem.com.
