A study published last month in the Journal of Oncology Practice explored the responsibilities of advanced practitioners in oncology and found that their role has grown significantly, just as a 2007 study published in the same journal predicted it would.

The study, which is the first large-scale study of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants in oncology, aimed to not only identify all oncology advanced practitioners, but to also understand their personal and practice characteristics, including compensation.

The researchers identified at least 5,350 advanced practice providers involved in oncology care, and an additional 5,400 NPs and PAs who might practice oncology. They then attempted to survey 3,055 of those advanced practice providers about their roles in clinical care, though respondents yielded only a 19% response rate.

Of the NPs and PAs that responded to the survey, it was found that more than 90% reported satisfaction with career choice, and 80% were directly involved in patient care, such as patient counseling, prescribing, treatment management, and follow-up visits. It was also reported that the average annual compensation for oncology advanced practitioners was between $113,000 and $115,000, which is approximately $10,000 more than the average pay for non-oncology advanced practitioners.

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