UPMC offers over 50 nursing specialty roles across nearly 20 clinical specialties, allowing our team of 20,000+ nurses to experience a variety of care settings, patient populations, and medical treatments.
Among these specialties is oncology nursing – providing compassionate care, treatment, and symptom management to patients with cancer. Oncology nurses play a critical role in patients’ wellness and well-being alike – educating them, celebrating their victories, consoling them through uncertainty, and coordinating their treatment.
You might imagine oncology nursing to be emotionally intimidating, but oncology nurses say it is the opposite – with a supportive team, it’s an inspiring, endlessly rewarding specialty with a significant impact. Hear more from the experts – our oncology nurses at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, who provide comprehensive, compassionate, and innovative care to patients with all types of cancer at facilities across Pennsylvania and in Western New York and Ohio.
Across UPMC and every other health care system, clinical workers have been standing bravely on the frontlines of care throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, providing critical patient care to those in need. Those health care heroes have not been alone, though. Standing right behind them have been many other less visible teams, hard at work keeping our systems running without a hitch and ensuring that clinical workers have all the support they need to focus on what they do best.
One of the teams that played a critical role in UPMC’s pandemic response is Information Technology. You might not initially think of IT as a team that was impacted by COVID-19, but the truth is that their work has become even more essential than before.
Because of the diligent work of our people across PC Support, Remote Access, Certify, EPCS, and more, our Information Technology team transitioned seamlessly to working from safe and socially distanced locations without missing a beat. They accelerated the technology that allowed patients to receive care remotely, implemented digital solutions to make our hospitals safer, and quickly established vaccination clinics across our communities.
While this experience is not one our teams could’ve ever predicted, it has been a challenge that they’ve met with excellence. Let’s hear from some of the members of our team about their experience working in IT throughout the COVID-19 pandemic:
Oncology Nurses play a critical role in patients’ wellness and well-being alike – educating them, celebrating their victories, consoling them through uncertainty, and coordinating their treatment.
Cindy S., Sr. Professional Staff Nurse, UPCI
As a nurse of over 35 years with a variety of specialty experience, caring for oncology patients is Cindy’s most rewarding role.
“I really do care about my patients, and I find them so inspiring,” Cindy said. “I see how their loved ones care for them, and it’s so heartwarming – or how they somehow find the strength to do it without a lot of family support. I know that we are all here to help each other through this journey of life, and I find that being an oncology nurse is a wonderful opportunity to help others.”
Sydney H., Professional Staff Nurse, BSN
Sydney never envisioned herself as an oncology nurse until cancer personally affected her family in 2018. The care her relative received at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center inspired her to pursue an oncology nursing career. Now, she doesn’t envision her nursing career in any specialty but oncology.
“I get to care for the same patients and follow through with their care, which is rare in many other nursing specialties,” Sydney said. “I have come across many incredible patients who have inspired me to live life to the fullest and pursue my passions and goals. I hope I have made a positive impact on them, but I don’t think it will ever come close to the impact they have made on me.”
Laura F., Sr. Professional Staff Nurse, BSN, ONC
For Laura, part of the reward of oncology nursing comes from patients’ success – she loves seeing the joy on their faces as they “ring the bell” to symbolize the end of their immunotherapy or chemotherapy treatments. But it’s not just patient success that Laura finds rewarding – it’s the culture among her teammates, paired with the opportunity to learn about the newest treatment advancements out of UPMC’s cancer research center.
“I love the positive atmosphere and teamwork that occurs on a [daily] basis. There is always a colleague there to lend a hand or be an ear to ask a question. The leadership at Hillman is also very responsive to needs and encouraging of a positive work-life balance. We are one cohesive unit, and when our patients succeed, we do as well,” Laura said. “Additionally, in the oncology field, advances are occurring daily in treatment methods, therefore, you are always learning every day.”
"I've come across many incredible patients who have inspired me to live life to the fullest and pursue my passions and goals. I hope I've made a positive impact on them, but I don’t think it'll ever come close to the impact they've made on me.”
– Sydney H., Professional Staff Nurse, BSN
Looking to find your niche in nursing? Eager to find a specialty that offers experience providing world-class care, while educating and supporting patients with all types of cancer, throughout all stages of treatment?
There’s a place for you at UPMC — no matter what environment you’re seeking. As an inpatient oncology nurse, you can care for a diverse patient population to provide the right cancer care at the right time in the fast-paced environment of a hospital setting. As a member of UPMC’s Hillman Cancer Center Medical Oncology Network team, you can meet patients close to home at our outpatient facilities and establish connections as you work with patients throughout the course of their cancer treatment. Find your fit — explore opportunities in oncology nursing at UPMC!
