Emeritus Status

Emeritus status is designed to provide special recognition of the accomplishments of ONCC-certified nurses who are permanently retired from the profession of oncology nursing and who desire to retain their credential in an honorary capacity. Emeritus status provides retired nurses with a continued sense of career identity and professional connectedness. It acknowledges the nurse’s pride in and dedication to having been certified. It is ONCC’s hope that the awarding of Emeritus credentials will allow retired nurses to raise awareness of, champion the cause for, and inspire others to pursue professional certification in oncology nursing and other fields. 

To qualify for the Emeritus status of their credential, the ONCC certified nurse must: 

1. Be retired from active employment in oncology nursing and not actively practicing nursing in a clinical setting 
2. Have no plans to renew ONCC certification or need to be certified in the specialty 
3. Hold a current ONCC certification that is not under sanction. Emeritus status is available in the year certification will expire and is not available if certification has expired. Nurses may apply for Emeritus status through the March 31 reinstatement deadline in the year following expiration of the ONCC certification. 

To apply for Emeritus status, nurses must: 

1. Submit an application and one-time fee payment during the year of expiration and up until the March 31 reinstatement deadline the following year of their ONCC certification 
2. Sign a statement attesting that they are: 
   1. Retired from active employment in oncology nursing, not actively practicing nursing, and have no plans to renew ONCC certification or need to be certified in the specialty.
   2. Willing and able to abide by the limitation that the Emeritus status credential may NOT be used in direct patient care in any clinical setting or in the context of any clinically related interactions.

Nurses granted Emeritus status must us the word “Emeritus” with the credential (e.g., OCN®-Emeritus).

If a nurse holding ONCC Emeritus status returns to direct patient care in an oncology clinical setting, they must: 

1. Notify ONCC within 30 days of returning to active practice of direct patient care in an oncology clinical setting 
2. Immediately discontinue use of the Emeritus credential in all forms and settings  
3. If desirous of holding the active credential, meet initial eligibility for the desired credential including practice, education, and testing.