Behind the Scenes of Oncology Nursing: Insights from Two Nursing Leaders at St. Jude’s

by | May 22, 2023 | New Nurse | 0 comments

In this episode of the FreshRN Podcast, Kati interviews Morgan Melancon MSN, RN, CCRN-K and Annabeth Davis, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, both from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Oncology

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a leading pediatric treatment and research facility located in Memphis, Tennessee, dedicated to finding cures for childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its mission is to advance the treatment and prevention of catastrophic illnesses in children through research and treatment. St. Jude provides care for patients regardless of their ability to pay.

This is a two-part episode. In this episode, we talk about oncology. The previous episode will discussed their unique nurse residency program. Click here to listen to that episode!

What We Discuss

  • Special training required to give chemotherapy
  • What people love about working oncology and what’s particularly challenging
  • End of life care
  • Specific common nursing responsibilities unique to oncology

Who You’ll Hear

Morgan Melancon MSN, RN, CCRN-K

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Morgan Melancon is the director of Nursing Education and Professional Development at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. As director, Melancon led the successful revision of the Nurse Residency and Nurse Externship programs, both achieving record high enrollment. She began her tenure at St. Jude in 2019 as the nursing professional development practitioner for the Intensive Care Unit before becoming manager of Nursing Education. Melancon holds an Executive Leadership MSN degree and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Memphis, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Louisiana State University. Prior to joining St. Jude, she spent 10 years providing care to pediatric critical care patients at LeBonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, where she served in a variety of bedside and leadership roles.

Annabeth Davis, MSN, RN, NPD-BC

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Annabeth Davis is the manager of Transition to Practice within the department of Nursing Education at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. She began her tenure at St. Jude in 2019 as a bedside nurse in the Infusion Center, then became the nursing professional development practitioner for the Nursing Surgical Services department before becoming manager of Transition to Practice, covering the Nurse Residency Program, Nurse Extern Program, and Global Evidence-Based Practice Program. During her time, Annabeth has successfully participated in the revitalization of the nurse residency program and even developed and implemented the first operating room nurse residency arm in 2022. Annabeth has a Master of Science degree in Nursing Education and a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Prior to joining St. Jude, she spent the bulk of her nursing years providing care to pediatric patients in Surgical Services at LeBonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, where she served in a variety of bedside roles.

You’ll also hear from me, Kati Kleber MSN RN, host of the podcast! For more about me, click here.

Listen to the Episode

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, PlayerFM, iHeartRadio, Libsyn, Spotify, and Amazon Music.

Resources for Oncology Nurses

  1. Oncology Nursing Society (ONS): A professional organization dedicated to promoting excellence in oncology nursing and transforming cancer care. They offer various resources such as educational materials, conferences, networking opportunities, and more.
  2. Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON): A professional organization that supports nurses and their practice in order to optimize outcomes for children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer and blood disorders, as well as their families. (Annabeth mentioned their certification in the episode!)
  3. Journal of Oncology Nursing: A peer-reviewed journal that provides the latest information on advances in patient care, clinical practice, and research in oncology nursing.
  4. Oncology Nurse Advisor: An online resource that offers clinical updates, evidence-based guidance, and continuing education to oncology nurses.
  5. Oncology Nursing News: An online publication that provides the latest news, insights, and resources related to oncology nursing.
  6. St. Jude’s Nurse Residency Program
  7. [Student] Nurse Extern Program
  8. Nursing at St. Jude – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (St. Jude’s main nursing page with links to all programs)

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Picture of Kati Kleber, founder of FRESHRN

Hi, I’m Kati.

Kati Kleber, MSN RN is a nurse educator, author, national speaker, host of the FreshRN® Podcast, and owner of FreshRN® – an online platform created to educate, encourage, and motivate newly licensed nurses in innovative ways.

Connect with her on YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, and sign-up for her free email newsletter for new nurses.

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