OCN Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield OCN facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. A patient undergoing pelvic radiation for cervical cancer reports vaginal dryness and dyspareunia. The nurse should recommend: → Vaginal moisturizers and dilator use as prescribed
2. A patient with bone metastases reports sudden inability to void and new lower extremity weakness. The nurse should suspect: → Spinal cord compression — a medical emergency
3. The IOM's Six Aims of Quality Healthcare include all of the items below, with the exception of: → Safe and rapid
4. What is the nadir in the context of chemotherapy administration? → The point of lowest blood cell counts after chemotherapy
5. Which calculation method is most commonly used to determine chemotherapy dosing? → Body surface area (BSA)
6. Dyspnea in a patient with lung cancer should first be assessed for which reversible cause? → Pleural effusion
7. A survivor completing treatment should receive a survivorship care plan from which care setting? → The treating oncology team at the end of active treatment
8. Which medication is first-line for treating opioid-induced nausea and vomiting? → Prochlorperazine or metoclopramide
9. What is 'equianalgesic dosing' used for in pain management? → Converting between different opioids or routes while maintaining equivalent pain control
10. Which antifungal drug interaction is most important to monitor in patients receiving voriconazole and certain chemotherapy agents? → CYP450 enzyme inhibition increasing chemotherapy drug levels
11. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is a potentially life-threatening complication most associated with which therapies? → CAR-T cell therapy and bispecific antibodies
12. Which type of radiation therapy delivers a high dose to a small target with steep dose fall-off, minimizing exposure to surrounding tissue? → Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)
13. Which dietary recommendation is evidence-based for cancer survivors to reduce recurrence risk? → Plant-forward diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, limiting processed meats
14. Which scale is most commonly used in clinical practice to assess cancer pain intensity? → Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) 0–10
15. Which of the following treatments is recommended for a patient whose liver-metastasizing renal cell carcinoma is surgically incurable? → Temsirolimus
16. A patient has been informed that adjuvant chemotherapy is required after cancer surgery. According to the nurse, adjuvant chemotherapy means: → Drugs given to target minimal disease or micro metastases
17. Lymphedema education for a patient who had axillary lymph node dissection should include which instruction? → Avoid blood pressure cuffs and blood draws on the affected arm
18. Colony-stimulating factors (e.g., filgrastim/G-CSF) are used in oncology patients primarily for which purpose? → To stimulate neutrophil production and reduce febrile neutropenia risk
19. Bevacizumab (Avastin) targets tumor angiogenesis by inhibiting which growth factor? → Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
20. Which tumor marker is most specific for monitoring colorectal cancer recurrence? → Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)
21. Mucositis is most likely to develop in patients receiving which treatment? → High-dose methotrexate or radiation to the head and neck
22. Which of the following is a cell-cycle-specific chemotherapy agent? → Vincristine
23. Which element is essential in a comprehensive cancer survivorship care plan? → Summary of treatment received and schedule of recommended follow-up
24. A patient receiving external beam radiation develops brisk erythema and moist desquamation. This is classified as what grade of acute skin toxicity per CTCAE? → Grade 3
25. Which of the following communication strategies improves medication adherence in cancer outpatients? → Using teach-back method to confirm patient understanding
26. Peripheral neuropathy induced by paclitaxel typically presents as which symptom pattern? → Stocking-glove distribution numbness and tingling
27. The initial course of action for a patient with a photoallergic reaction is: → Topical steroids
28. Which organization provides the primary standards for safe handling of hazardous drugs in oncology nursing? → Oncology Nursing Society (ONS)
29. Which assessment is essential before providing cancer patient education to ensure effectiveness? → Patient's readiness to learn, health literacy, preferred learning style, and language
30. "I knew lymphedema could happen, but I never dreamed it would happen to me," a breast cancer survivor sobs. The nurse's first line of defense is to: → Allow the patient to express her feelings.