Blog & Insights

Oncology Nursing Insights

Evidence-based articles, clinical commentary, and perspectives from Megha Shah, DNP, FNP, OCN — The Oncology Nurse.

Career and Leadership

How to Become an ONS Peer Reviewer or Associate Editor | Megha Shah, DNP, FNP, OCN

· 7 min read

When I first started volunteering as a peer reviewer for the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, I did not fully appreciate how much the experience would shape me as a clinician and a writer. I was a bedside oncology nurse at the time, and I had no idea that this kind of involvement was even open to someone at my career stage. It is. If you have ever wondered how oncology nursing research gets evaluated, published, and disseminated, or if you have thought about contributing to that process, this article is for you.

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Career and Leadership

What It Means to Serve on an ONS Chapter Board | Megha Shah, DNP, FNP, OCN

· 6 min read

When I became president of the Chicago Western Suburbs chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society, I was not entirely sure what I was saying yes to. I knew the role mattered. I knew the ONS was the professional home of oncology nursing in the United States and that its chapters were the part of the organization closest to frontline nurses in their own communities. What I did not fully appreciate until I was inside it was how much chapter leadership gives back to the nurse who shows up for it.

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Career and Leadership

How I Became a Doctor of Nursing Practice: The Path from Bedside to DNP | Megha Shah, DNP, FNP, OCN

· 12 min read

I did not set out to earn a doctorate. I set out to take better care of my patients. Those two things turned out to be the same path. What I could see from the infusion center, after years at the bedside in oncology, was that the care I wanted to give required a level of authority and preparation I did not yet have. The Doctor of Nursing Practice was the credential that closed that gap. This is what that path looked like, and what I learned along the way.

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Career and Leadership Patient Education

What Is an Oncology Nurse Practitioner? Role, Scope, and Responsibilities | Megha Shah, DNP, FNP, OCN

· 10 min read

When patients meet me in clinic for the first time, the most common question I hear is some version of: “Are you the doctor?” It is not an unreasonable question. In oncology, care teams can include surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and nurse practitioners — some of whom also hold a doctorate. Understanding who does what, and what the letters after a clinician’s name actually mean, can help patients feel more in control of a process that often feels overwhelming from the start.When patients meet me in clinic for the first time, the most common question I hear is some version of: “Are you the doctor?” It is not an unreasonable question. In oncology, care teams can include surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and nurse practitioners — some of whom also hold a doctorate. Understanding who does what, and what the letters after a clinician’s name actually mean, can help patients feel more in control of a process that often feels overwhelming from the start.

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Career and Leadership

Nursing Leadership Unlocked: What Every Nurse Should Know About Growing Beyond the Bedside

· 12 min read

In this reflective insight, oncology nurse practitioner Megha Shah explores what nursing leadership truly looks like beyond titles and formal roles. Drawing from her experiences in frontline oncology care, shared governance, mentorship, national speaking engagements, and her feature in ONS Voice, she explains how nurses can lead through advocacy, communication, emotional intelligence, and persistence. This article encourages nurses at every stage of their career to recognise their influence, challenge imposter syndrome, step into opportunities for growth, and help shape the future of the profession from wherever they stand today, with courage, purpose, and confidence.

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Career and Leadership Patient Education

The Work That Never Leaves You: Celebrating National Nurses’ Week

· 9 min read

Every May, nursing gets a week. What it deserves is a clear-eyed, honest look at the work itself. This article is written for two audiences: the nurses who show up every day, and the patients who carry them in their memory long after treatment ends. It covers what nurses actually do beyond the tasks most people see, what meaningful recognition looks like in practice, and why oncology nursing in particular carries a weight that deserves frank acknowledgment. Whether you are a nurse navigating another demanding year or a patient searching for the right words, this one was written for you.

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