“It’s not often in life that you find something that gives you this feeling, but I’m really so fortunate to have found mine, and I know this is only just the beginning, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds. I definitely owe a lot of that to the Oncology Nursing Society for opening up all those doors for me and really getting me into this field.” Samantha Paulen, BSN, RN, told Jessica MacIntyre, DNP, MBA, APRN, AOCNP®, 2024–2026 ONS president, during a conversation about student nurses entering the oncology field. MacIntyre spoke with Paulen and Tayler Covino, BSN, RN, both recent graduate nurses, about why they chose oncology nursing as a specialty. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0  Episode Notes  NCPD contact hours are not available for this episode.  Oncology Nursing Podcast™ episodes: Episode 191: Explore Orientation Opportunities for New-to-Practice Nurses Episode 20: Advance Your Career Through Awards, Grants, and Scholarships ONS Voice articles: Nursing Students Connect Beyond the Classroom With ONS Resources One Oncology Lecture Isn’t Enough Nurse Residency Programs Improve New Graduate RNs’ Transition to Clinical Practice Train and Retain: From Orientation to Leadership, Here Are the Strategies That Experienced Staff Developers Use Innovative Programs Help Institution Grow Its Own Nursing Workforce Oncology Nurses Enhance Cancer Care Through Mentorship Opportunities Nursing Team Shares Process of Training a New Nurse in Oncology Outpatient Care ONS book: Cancer Basics (third edition) ONS courses: ONS Cancer Basics™ ONS Cancer Biology™ ONS Oncology Nurse Orientation Preceptor Bundle™ Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing articles: American Association of Colleges of Nursing: New Essentials, Quality and Safety Domain Can a Recent Nurse Graduate Thrive in the Oncology Setting? Prelicensure Nursing Students’ Attitudes Toward Patients With Cancer Revisited ONS Learning Library: Nurse Orientation ONS Undergrad/Pre-Licensure Core Competencies ONS Career Guide ONS Resources for Student Nurses To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities.  To find resources for creating an Oncology Nursing PodcastÔ Club in your chapter or nursing community, visit the ONS Podcast Library. To provide feedback or otherwise reach ONS about the podcast, email [email protected]. Highlights From This Episode “I was first drawn to oncology nursing freshman year of high school when my grandmother, who was my ultimate best friend, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and by the time they had caught it, it had metastasized to nearly every surrounding organ. And as I mentioned earlier, my grandmother was a nurse. So being a nurse, she was very stubborn, and when she finally had gone to the hospital after having a variety of symptoms, it was almost too late.” (Paulen) TS 7:27  “There’s really nothing more special to me than being able to develop relationships with my patients and support them throughout their journey. It’s incredibly rewarding making such a difference in their lives and being able to witness the strength and resilience of patients battling cancer, and it’s such an inspiration. Being able to provide my support both medically and empathetically is truly such an honor.” (Paulen) TS 10:04  “I also had a family member who was diagnosed with cancer. He was my uncle. And I witnessed firsthand the impact that compassionate and knowledgeable oncology nurses had on his treatment, and it really did leave such a lasting impact on me. … This experience deeply inspired me, and I just always wanted to be part of a team that offers hope and comfort to their patients and their families.” (Covino) TS 12:10  “I touched on my pediatric oncology clinical rotation, but I really do think it gave me insights into caring