Our Hematology-Oncology Units are part of Dartmouth Cancer Center (DCC), one of the nation’s premier facilities for cancer treatment and research. The Dartmouth Cancer Center (DCC) is one of only 56 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States.
Our hematology/oncology units are great places to work because you will be surrounded by staff who are passionate about their patients and the patient’s families, and the teamwork is remarkable. Patients are extremely motivated and invested in their care so they can get well, and it is amazing to see how many successfully beat cancer. There are unparalleled resources for patients here and also educational opportunities for nursing staff to enhance their clinical skills. We are supportive of one another and have a complete leadership team of 4 Clinical Supervisors, a Nurse Educator and Clinical Nurse Leader as well as a Nurse Manager overseeing the two units.
Hematology/Oncology (Level 1 Wing D (L1WD) offers an experience for staff members where they will primarily work with Hematology/Oncology patients in addition to some experience with Stem Cell Transplant patients. As a new member of our unit, you will work with a designated preceptor who will be exclusive to you. All preceptors have completed the DH Preceptor course to ensure their readiness and competency for this important role. The preceptors on our team have specifically requested this role so you can be sure that they are interested and invested in working with you as a teammate and mentor. We have found it helpful to have some of our preceptors be a newer RN to DH (about 2 years’ experience). With their new careers evolving, they develop very strong relationships with our Nurse Residents as well as experienced nurses because these preceptors remember what it is like to be a new RN starting out on their career as well as have some experience, they can relate to those who have been practicing for years.
About 80% of our patients have some cancer diagnosis. The vast majority of these patients do well with treatment and are discharged to resume a healthy and normal life – contrary to what many would think of an Oncology unit. A small subset of these patients are also surgical patients which exposes you to some surgical pathways. The remaining patients are general medicine, surgery, or other medical types of diagnosis. The staff member who will be successful on L1WD Hem/Onc is intellectually curious, communicates effectively, is an active listener, and appreciates a deep patient and family relationship. An intriguing part of working on L1WD Hem/Onc is that you will get experience in a wide range of clinical skills caring for patients with a multitude of medical concerns including pre-and post-operative and a wide variety of medicine patients. The ‘bread and butter’ of this unit though, is Oncology which requires a strong clinical knowledge of anatomy physiology, and skillful critical thinking. We have developed an orientation program called the Clinical Reasoning Orientation Program (CROP) here on L1WD. The advantage of this program is that you will feel effectively prepared to work independently after orientation is complete. Training and education for chemotherapy typically begin 9 months after you start with the opportunity for those interested to cross-train onto the Infusion team as well.
Hematology Special Care Unit (HSCU) Level 1 Wing D (L1WD) is a 9-bed unit within the 23-bed L1DW Hem/Onc where Stem Cell Transplant and CAR-T-Cell Therapy patients are cared for. Nurses interested in learning and growing in this space may have the opportunity to receive their Stem Cell Transplant and REMs certification training to work on this unit. These highly specialized staff will also have the opportunity to help out on L1WD Hem/Onc Inpatient when needed. L1WD is part of the Dartmouth Cancer Center at D-H, one of only 53 designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the USA. Whilst some might consider Oncology to be a sad place to work, most staff find it incredibly rewarding and stay for many years within the specialty.
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Hear from our nurses in their own words
I have been working as a hematology/oncology nurse now for 37 years. I initially came to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center for a summer job and I absolutely loved the buzz and excitement of the academic environment. One of the things I like most about this type of nursing is the bond that we can make with our patients. We get to understand the individual and the unique aspects of their disease. I feel like I have a better connection with my patients, but I also really like the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of our oncology team. Very often it takes all of our different insights and approaches to provide the very best outcomes for the patient. I definitely consider myself a strong patient advocate and I appreciate your ability to have a significant impact on their care plan.
Diane Stearns, MSN, APRN, Lead APP – Oncology Services
Dartmouth Cancer Center, Instructor of Medicine – Geisel School of Medicine
Earlier in my career, I worked in several different locations across the country but ultimately chose northern New England specifically because of the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and the type of nursing that was being done here. I love working in hematology/oncology for many reasons, but one of them is the continuity between inpatient care and the connection with outpatient treatment. As a nurse at Dartmouth Hitchcock, we have a dynamic nurse residency program, great orientation, and an extensive system of support. Education is very much encouraged here and Dartmouth has always been a proponent of supporting our oncology nurses to get their OCN certification.
