OCN study guide
OCN · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN®) credential is a specialty certification for registered nurses who care for adults with cancer across the trajectory of illness - from diagnosis and treatment through survivorship or end of life. It is administered by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC), an independent certifying body; this page is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ONCC. The OCN study guide has 6 sections and about 1,819 words.
01Care Continuum: Prevention Through Survivorship and End of Life
The continuum runs from prevention through diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and end of life. Know the three prevention levels, the difference between screening and diagnosis, and the fact that survivorship begins at diagnosis , not at the end of treatment - it includes surveillance, management of late effects, health promotion, and a written survivorship care plan.
302 words, about 2 min02Oncology Nursing Practice: Scope, Ethics, Trials, and Safety
Scope and standards of oncology nursing, the interdisciplinary team, evidence-based practice, clinical trial phases, informed consent, confidentiality and advocacy, safe handling of hazardous drugs, and central vascular access device management. Phase I : safety, dose finding, maximum tolerated dose - not effectiveness.
306 words, about 2 min03Cancer Treatment Modalities and Their Signature Toxicities
Surgery (curative, adjuvant, neoadjuvant, palliative, debulking), radiation, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, targeted agents, immunotherapy, stem cell transplant, and cellular therapy - with each modality's characteristic toxicity and nursing teaching. External beam radiation does not make the patient radioactive; no precautions are needed.
307 words, about 2 min04Symptom Management and Palliative Care
Assessment and management of pain, nausea and vomiting, mucositis, fatigue, dyspnea, anorexia, constipation, and delirium, plus core palliative and hospice principles. Use a validated scale and treat the cause.
285 words, about 1 min05Oncologic Emergencies: Recognize and Act
Rapid recognition and first actions for febrile neutropenia and sepsis, tumor lysis syndrome, hypercalcemia, SIADH, spinal cord compression, superior vena cava syndrome, hyperviscosity, DIC, cardiac tamponade, anaphylaxis, extravasation, and cytokine release syndrome. A single oral temperature ≥38.3 °C, or ≥38.0 °C sustained over one hour, with an ANC below 500 (or below 1000 and falling).
302 words, about 2 min06Psychosocial Dimensions of Care
Distress screening, anxiety and depression, grief and bereavement, coping styles, communication, cultural and spiritual care, sexuality and fertility, caregiver burden, and ethical decision-making. Distress is the "sixth vital sign." Screen at every visit with a validated tool such as the NCCN Distress Thermometer; a score of 4 or more prompts further evaluation and referral to social work, psychology, chaplaincy, or psychiatry.
317 words, about 2 min