Registered Nurse - Oncology Unit

Tucson Medical Center; Tucson (AZ); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on bonus

Job summary

Tucson Medical Center in Tucson, AZ, seeks a Registered Nurse for the Oncology Unit to care for adults with cancer and blood disorders on a dedicated 34-bed unit. Responsibilities include administering chemotherapy and complex symptom management within a high-acuity environment.

The role offers structured onboarding, opportunities for oncology certification, and a path for career growth as the service line expands. 24/7 operations with 12-hour day shifts are provided.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Current RN licensure permitting work in Arizona and BLS certification required.
• One year of nursing experience in acute care preferred.

Responsibilities

• Administer chemotherapy, immunotherapy, biotherapy, and related therapies.
• Manage high-acuity complications and central line care.
• Collaborate with oncology and hospitalist teams with clear escalation pathways.
• Provide patient and family support and participate in care planning.

Skills

Chemotherapy administration

Biotherapy administration

Critical care procedures

BLS certification

RN licensure

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

EKG interpretation

Job description

Registered Nurse - Oncology Unit

Job Category: Nursing

Schedule: Full time

Shift: 1 - Day Shift

$10,000.00 Sign On Bonus w/2 Years' Experience!!!

Who we are

Our inpatient oncology unit is a [34]-bed adult acute care unit dedicated to patients living with cancer and blood disorders. We care for patients through active treatment, symptom crisis, disease progression, and recovery - often across multiple admissions and multiple years. Our nurses know their patients by name, and frequently by story.

The work

Nurses on this unit administer chemotherapy, immunotherapy, biotherapy, and bispecific antibody therapy, and manage the high-acuity complications that come with them - cytokine release syndrome, ICANS, neutropenic fever, tumor lysis, and complex pain and symptom burden. Care includes central line and access management, transfusion therapy, oncologic emergency recognition and escalation, and end-of-life and goals-of-care support. Patients are managed collaboratively by oncology and hospitalist teams with clearly defined ownership and escalation pathways, so nurses always know who to call and when.

Why nurses who want to be excellent choose this unit

• You will become a specialist, not a generalist. Chemotherapy and biotherapy competency is developed through a formal pathway pairing didactic learning with supervised administrations and institutional competency validation.
• Structured onboarding, not sink-or-swim. New hires - including new-to-practice nurses - move through core oncology orientation, shadowing, simulation including mock CRS scenarios, and ambulatory practicum shifts at TMC Cancer Center sites before independent practice.
• Real clinical judgment at the bedside. Standardized order sets and escalation triggers are built into the workflow, but the nurse's assessment drives the response. Early recognition here changes outcomes measurably.
• A career ladder with somewhere to go. Oncology certification (OCN), charge and clinical nurse lead roles, preceptor and super-user roles, shared governance, and unit-based process improvement leadership are all available and actively supported.
• A growing service line. TMC's oncology program is expanding as outpatient volume grows, which means new resources, new therapies, and new opportunities rather than a static assignment.

What we expect

Excellence here looks like precision with high-risk medications, disciplined safety practice including independent dual verification and PPE compliance, honest escalation, and the emotional steadiness to sit with patients and families on the hardest days. We hire for clinical rigor and for compassion, and we don't trade one for the other.

Schedule and structure

Open 24/7, 365 days a year. [12-hour shifts]; RN-to-patient ratio 1:5. The team includes RNs, PCTs, unit clerks, a clinical nurse lead, and a dedicated unit manager, supported by oncology pharmacy, case management, social work, palliative care, dietitians, and rehabilitation therapies.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree preferred.

EXPERIENCE

One (1) year of nursing experience in an acute care setting preferred. (Positions assigned to EP: require two (2) years of EP experience or demonstrated competency in all areas of EP Lab procedures).

LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION

Current RN licensure permitting work in the State of Arizona and Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required. Additional certification may be required per department.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of direct patient care and critical care procedures and techniques, tools, and responses required to ensure optimal patient care.
• Knowledge of exam indicators, contraindications, and patient preparation.
• Skill in communicating in a clear and concise manner with staff involved in critical care, and physicians to ensure the proper care of patients.
• Skill in reading 12-lead EKG.
• Skill demonstrated in assigned disciplines such as EP, directly involved in patient care.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to complete routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to listen and accurately interpret others’ communication or instructions to take appropriate action.
• Ability to speak and communicate effectively.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of instructions and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.