2026 Career Planning Guide
NURSING SPECIALITIES KEY: n Minimum Education required n Certifications required n Experience needed n Certification credential n Possible employment n Professional Organization n References / Resources
patients / families about diagnosis and treatment for blood disorders and malignancies, which can be acute or chronic. The nurse may also care for patients undergoing stem cell transplantation. Patient care includes physical, psychosocial, developmental, and spiritual assessment of the patient and family. The nurse is a part of a multidisciplinary team that manages therapies, which may include chemotherapy, biotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Supportive care includes managing the side effects from the therapies provided, such as pain management and nutritional support. Providing developmentally appropriate education is a foundational element woven throughout nursing care in this sub-specialty. The nurse collaborates with supportive care team members, such as the palliative care team, child life specialist, art therapist, home health care, music therapist, and chaplains. This profession requires strong critical thinking, compassion and dedication to life-long learning.
n RN, ASN / ADN( BSN encouraged) n Certified Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurse n None. This may vary between hospitals. Experience typically required for clinics or infusion centers. n CPHON, BMTCN
n Hospitals( inpatient unit and outpatient clinic), physician’ s offices, home healthcare, radiation centers, hospice / palliative care facilities n Association of Pediatric Hematology / Oncology Nursing( www. aphon. org)
Pediatric Surgery Nurse
The pediatric surgical nurse uses the patient and family centered care approach to provide for patients requiring surgical intervention in a variety of settings. Utilizing evidence- based practice guidelines pediatric surgical nurses focus on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities for children from newborn through young adulthood with an array of surgical issues. They serve as clinicians, researchers, educators, mentors, advocates, and administrators. Pediatric surgical nursing strives for the prevention of illness and injury, the restoration of health and the maximization of comfort in health conditions and at the end of life, through diagnosis, treatment and management of the child’ s condition that requires surgical intervention.
n RN, ASN / ADN, BSN, MSN( BSN / MSN preferred) n Hospitals, Continuing Care, ambulatory care centers n American Pediatric Surgical Nurses Association, Inc.( www. apsna. org)
Perioperative( Surgical) Nurse
Provide surgery care by assessing patients before, monitor patients during and providing recovery care after surgical procedures. Work in teams with surgeons anesthesiologists.
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