AOCNP Cheat Sheet | ExamFinch

Cancer Continuum

28% of exam
Risk and Screening Diagnosis and Planning Assessment Picker Predictive vs Prognostic

Treatment and Supportive Care

45% of exam
Treatment Modalities Supportive Care Trials and Response Therapy Context Picker

Oncologic Emergencies

12% of exam
Emergency Patterns Emergency Picker Tumor Lysis Pattern Fever Is Urgent

Psychosocial Issues

10% of exam
Psychosocial Care Distress Response Palliative Care Community Resources

Professional Practice and APRN Roles

5% of exam
Professional Practice Quality and Safety QI vs Research Scope and Policy

Quick Facts

Exam AOCNP
Owner ONCC
Population Adult oncology NPs
Session 3-hour session
Questions 165 MCQ
Scoring 125 scored + 40 pretest
Pass Scaled score 55
Validity 4 years
Drug names Generic only

Blueprint Weights CO

Continuum, Treatment, Emergencies, Psychosocial, Practice: 28-45-12-10-5
Continuum: 28% Treatment: 45% Emergencies: 12% Psychosocial: 10% Practice: 5%

Screening vs Diagnosis CO

Screening

Asymptomatic population
Early detection goal
Abnormal needs evaluation

Diagnosis

Suspected disease
Confirms or excludes
Directs staging
Detection vs confirmation

Assessment Picker CO

Asymptomatic population → Screening ( Early detection )
Symptoms or abnormal screen → Diagnostic evaluation ( Confirm disease )
Estimate treatment benefit → Predictive biomarker
Estimate disease outcome → Prognostic biomarker
Measure daily function → Performance status
Inherited pattern suspected → Germline assessment
Tumor-specific alteration → Somatic testing
After definitive treatment → Surveillance ( Recurrence monitoring )

Risk and Screening CO

Risk assessment Estimates cancer likelihood
Screening Tests asymptomatic populations
Early detection Finds disease sooner
Hereditary risk May affect relatives
Subsequent malignancy Distinct later cancer
Surveillance Monitors after treatment
Patient navigation Coordinates care barriers

TNM CO

Tumor, Nodes, Metastasis
T: primary tumor N: regional nodes M: distant metastasis

Predictive vs Prognostic CO

Predictive

Treatment benefit likelihood
Guides therapy selection
Treatment-dependent

Prognostic

Disease outcome likelihood
Informs expected course
Treatment-independent
Benefit vs outcome

Diagnosis and Planning CO

Diagnostic testing Evaluates suspected disease
Performance status Measures functional ability
TNM Tumor, nodes, metastasis
Clinical stage Pretreatment evidence
Pathologic stage Tissue and surgical findings
Individualized plan Integrates patient and tumor
Reproductive planning Address before gonadotoxic therapy

Germline vs Somatic CO

Germline

Inherited variant
May affect relatives
Present beyond tumor

Somatic

Acquired tumor variant
May guide treatment
Not automatically inherited
Inherited vs acquired

Complementary vs Alternative TR

Complementary

Alongside standard care
Interaction review needed
Supports selected goals

Alternative

Replaces standard care
May delay treatment
Requires harm assessment
Alongside vs instead

Therapy Context Picker TR

Whole-body drug effect → Systemic therapy
Defined compartment delivery → Localized therapy
Tumor removal described → Surgery
Ionizing energy described → Radiation
Molecular target described → Targeted therapy
Immune activation described → Immunotherapy
Hormone signaling blocked → Endocrine therapy
Several modalities combined → Multimodal plan

Treatment Modalities TR

Systemic therapy Acts throughout body
Chemotherapy Targets rapidly dividing cells
Endocrine therapy Blocks hormone signaling
Targeted therapy Acts on molecular targets
Immunotherapy Mobilizes antitumor immunity
Cellular therapy Uses therapeutic living cells
Localized therapy Targets defined compartment
Surgery Removes local disease
Radiation Uses ionizing energy
Multimodal therapy Combines treatment modalities

Supportive Care TR

Acute effect Occurs during treatment
Late effect Appears after treatment
Long-term effect Persists after treatment
Myelosuppression Reduces marrow cell production
Mucositis Inflamed mucosal lining
Neuropathic pain Burning, shooting, tingling
Breakthrough pain Transient pain flare
Palliative care Quality-of-life focused care
Comorbidity review Checks competing risks
Controlled-substance safety Balances benefit and harm

Trials and Response TR

Clinical trial Prospective research study
Informed consent Voluntary informed choice
Phase I Safety and dose
Phase II Preliminary activity
Phase III Comparative efficacy
Phase IV Postapproval surveillance
Response assessment Integrates multiple findings
Complementary care Alongside standard care
Alternative care Replaces standard care

Tumor Lysis Pattern EM

Potassium, phosphate, urate rise; calcium falls
K: rises Phosphate: rises Urate: rises Calcium: falls

Emergency Picker EM

Fever with neutropenia → Urgent infection pathway
Back pain plus weakness → Cord compression pathway
Facial edema plus dyspnea → SVC pathway
Potassium and urate rise → Tumor lysis pathway
Confusion plus dehydration → Hypercalcemia pathway
Bleeding plus thrombosis → DIC pathway
Fever plus hypotension → CRS pathway
Intent plus suicide plan → Immediate safety response

Emergency Patterns EM

Febrile neutropenia Fever plus low neutrophils
Cord compression Back pain plus neurologic change
SVC syndrome Upper-body edema plus dyspnea
Tumor lysis Abrupt metabolic derangement
Hypercalcemia Confusion, weakness, dehydration
Disseminated intravascular coagulation Bleeding plus thrombosis
Cytokine release syndrome Fever, hypotension, hypoxia
Raised intracranial pressure Headache plus neurologic change

Palliative vs End-of-Life Care PS

Palliative care

Any disease stage
May accompany treatment
Relieves suffering

End-of-life care

Dying phase focus
Goals guide decisions
Supports patient and family
Broad support vs dying phase

Psychosocial Care PS

Distress screening Finds unmet concerns
Anxiety Assess severity and function
Depression Assess mood and safety
Cognitive change Assess function and supports
Caregiver strain Assess caregiver burden
Financial toxicity Treatment-related financial harm
Qualified interpreter Supports meaningful communication
Community resource Addresses identified needs
Spiritual care Explores meaning and values

PDSA Cycle PR

Plan, Do, Study, Act
Plan: define change Do: test small Study: examine results Act: adapt or adopt

QI vs Research PR

Quality improvement

Improves local process
Measures practice change
Iterative testing

Research

Produces generalizable knowledge
Protocol-driven inquiry
Human-subject protections
Local improvement vs generalizable knowledge

Professional Practice PR

Scope of practice Defines authorized practice
Licensure law Jurisdiction controls authority
Documentation Records assessment and decisions
Cultural humility Centers patient perspective
Implicit bias Unconscious judgment pattern
Evidence-based care Integrates evidence and context
Quality improvement Improves local care processes
Peer review Peers evaluate practice
Competency validation Demonstrates observable performance
Accreditation Verifies organizational standards

Common Traps

Pretest identification

Pretest items unlabeled ≠ Answer every question

Drug naming

Generic names tested ≠ Brand recall not required

Screening trigger

Screen asymptomatic people ≠ Diagnose suspected disease

Stage vs function

Stage describes cancer extent ≠ Performance describes function

Palliative timing

Palliative care any stage ≠ Not limited to final days

Knowledge vs authority

Exam tests knowledge ≠ Blueprint does not grant authority

Last Minute

1. Weights: 28, 45, 12, 10, 5
2. 165 total; 125 scored; 40 pretest
3. Pass = scaled 55, not percent
4. Use generic drug names
5. Recognize emergencies before treatment details
6. Pair symptoms with urgent pathways
7. Predictive selects; prognostic forecasts
8. Screen asymptomatic; diagnose suspected disease
9. Palliative care can accompany treatment
10. Respect scope, law, and policy

AOCNP

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