• DISCLAIMER: This content is designed to enhance the study of nursing. This content is generic and is not designed to take into account the specific objectives, needs, and/or circumstances of any particular region or country. To become a nurse, learners must successfully complete a program of study approved by the government or state-regulatory agency in their place of residence. We cannot guarantee that the successful completion of these materials will enable you to practice in your place of residence. Make sure that you are in compliance with the scope of practice of your regulatory body before attempting to put into use or practice any of the knowledge gained.

    Course Overview

    Welcome to the Pediatric Oncology course. This module provides a comprehensive overview of the specialized care required for pediatric patients with cancer and hematologic disorders. This course equips nurses with the knowledge and skills to provide compassionate, evidence-based care to pediatric oncology patients, ensuring their physical, emotional, and developmental needs are met.

    The course explores fundamental concepts of pediatric oncology, focusing on how child growth and development influence patient care. It covers:

    • Interpreting lab values and their implications for a child's health
    • Implementing effective nursing management strategies
    • Understanding the significance of neutropenic and fever management interventions
    • Assessing children's physical and emotional states
    • Understanding the impact of diseases on growth and development
    • Applying nursing principles to plan appropriate care
    • Treatment modalities
    • Pediatric oncologic emergencies
    • Nuances of holistic care, including pain management, ethical considerations, and survivorship

    The Pediatric Oncology component is offered as a module within the Oncology Nursing Course and also as a separate certificate course for those who would like to focus on the pediatric aspect of Oncology nursing, or for those who have already completed the Oncology Course and would like to take the Pediatric component.

    Course Development

    The development of the Oncology Nursing course is sponsored by the Innovative Cancer Care Foundation (ICCF) and was developed in partnership with Nurses International (NI) and NextGenU.org (NGU). The Pediatric Oncology course competencies were developed in collaboration with subject matter experts in Oncology and Pediatric Oncology nursing education and practice. The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education direct the course objectives.

    The course uses learning resources from accredited world-class organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), universities, international guidelines, and peer-reviewed journals. The Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) facilitates distance learning specifically for the independent online learner.

    The course was designed by NextGenU's Instructional Design team and Nurses International's team members: Kathleen Capone MS, RN CNE, Ed.D; Stacen Keating PhD, RN; Beth Hutchason MN, RN, AOCNP; Jennifer Thietz MSN, BSN, RN and Danielle Loumagne BMTCN, BSN, RN.

                               

    Course Structure

    There are 6 units/modules to complete:

    Unit 1: Overview
    Unit 2: Treatment Modalities
    Unit 3: Cancers in Childhood
    Unit 4: Pediatric Emergencies
    Unit 5: Hematologic Disorders
    Unit 6: Holistic Care

    Instructions

    The course consists of six (6) learning units. Each unit includes:

    • Individual lessons with accompanying reading summary documents
    • PowerPoint presentations with speaker notes
    • Learner self-assessment quizzes
    • Unit exams based on the latest Next Generation NCLEX Question model

    A grade of 80% is required on quizzes and unit exams, and submission of the required activities for all case studies/reflection activities is necessary to access the next lesson or section.

    The completion time for this course is estimated at 30 hours. There is a 60-question multiple-choice exam at the end of the course. A grade of 80% is required. If a grade of 80% is not achieved, the learner may self-remediate and take another exam. The second exam is of comparable content, and 80% is required for a passing grade.

    A certificate of completion may be downloaded upon successful completion of the course.

    Engaging with this Course

    There are no specific prerequisites for this course, although a basic understanding of nursing fundamentals and healthcare concepts would be beneficial.

    Note: Please refer to the regulations and guidelines applicable to your area of nursing practice, as the global nursing scope of practice may vary depending on your country, national, government, and professional regulatory agencies.

    To PASS and Obtain a Certificate, the learner must complete:

    • All the reading requirements
    • All quizzes and unit exams with a passing grade of 80%
    • All activities and case studies
    • The final exam with a minimum of 80% and a maximum of 2 attempts
    • The self and course evaluation forms

    Information for Institutions

    NextGenU.org is happy to provide your institution with:

    • A link to and a description of the course training
    • Your grade on the final exam
    • Your work products (e.g., case study activities) and any other shared materials you authorize
    • Your evaluations -- course and self-assessments
    • A copy of your certificate of completion

    Obtaining a Degree

    NextGenU.org co-sponsors degree programs with institutional partners. To obtain a full degree co-sponsored with NextGenU.org, registrants must be enrolled in a degree program as a student of a NextGenU.org institutional partner. If you think your institution might be interested in offering a degree with NextGenU.org, please feel free to contact us.

    We hope that you will find this a rewarding learning experience, and we count on your assessment and feedback to help us improve this training for future students.

    For Nurse Educators

    This course's teacher resources include a study guide. Nurse educators may contact info@nursesinternational.org with queries/permission to access faculty files for this course.

    Technical Support

    If you experience any difficulties with the technical aspects of the course or access to any course activities, please contact support@nextgenu.org for assistance.

    Disclaimer

    This content is designed to enhance your study; we cannot guarantee that the successful completion of these materials will enable you to work in your place of residence as regulations vary by location. If you plan to practice using your new knowledge, to ensure safety and compliance with your local laws, you must successfully complete a program of study approved by the government and relevant local regulatory agencies in your place of practice.

    NextGenU.org does not directly confer academic degrees or guarantee that learning institutions will accept NextGenU.org coursework for credit. 

  • This unit provides a comprehensive introduction to pediatric oncology and hematology care. It covers essential topics such as patient assessment, growth and development considerations, interpretation of lab values, infection risk management, and common side effects of cancer treatment. The unit also addresses crucial aspects of patient care, including nutrition, hydration, and age-specific communication strategies.

  • This unit explores various treatment modalities used in pediatric oncology and hematology, including immunotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, stem cell transplants, and advanced therapies. It focuses on understanding the principles, mechanisms, and impacts of these treatments on pediatric patients' growth and development, as well as potential late effects. The unit also emphasizes nursing management strategies for patients undergoing these treatments.

  • This unit delves into the specific types of cancers that affect children, with a focus on leukemias, lymphomas, and solid tumors. It covers the definitions, presentations, symptoms, and medical management of these cancers. The unit also outlines nursing management strategies for pediatric patients with these various types of cancer.

  • This unit addresses critical emergencies that can occur in pediatric oncology patients. It covers a wide range of emergency situations, including tumor lysis syndrome, febrile neutropenia, increased intracranial pressure, and various other life-threatening conditions. The unit emphasizes both medical and nursing management strategies for these emergencies.

  • This unit provides a comprehensive overview of various hematologic disorders in pediatric patients, including red blood cell and iron disorders, bleeding disorders, thrombosis and coagulation disorders, autoimmune blood cell disorders, and bone marrow failure syndromes. It covers the symptoms, presentation, medical management, and nursing interventions for each of these conditions.

  • This unit focuses on providing holistic care to pediatric oncology patients and their families. It covers crucial aspects such as pain management, palliative and end-of-life care, family support, ethical considerations, survivorship, fertility preservation, and the integration of complementary and traditional care. The unit emphasizes the importance of addressing both physical and psychological needs of patients throughout their cancer journey.

  • To access the exam, click on the name of the exam provided above. On the following screen, click the "Preview quiz now" button to respond to the questions.

  • To take the final exam, you must complete all quizzes and complete all the required activities. The final exam consists of 60 questions, and you will have 150 minutes to answer and submit them. In case you fail the exam in the first attempt, you can retake the final exam again after 1 week. 

    To access the exam, click on the name of the exam provided above. On the following screen, click the attempt quiz button to respond to the questions.

  • In this section, please provide feedback to help NextGenU.org improve its course offering. Once evaluations are completed, you will be able to download your certificate of completion.