The third session in our Cancer Nursing 101 series dives into one of the most transformative areas of modern cancer care—immunotherapy.
Designed for early-career cancer nurses, this session will help you build foundational knowledge of how immunotherapy works, the nurse's role, and how to recognise and respond to immune-related adverse events.
In this session, you’ll:
Understand the mechanisms and role of immunotherapy in cancer treatment
Differentiate immunotherapy from chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapies
Learn about key immunotherapy types:
Checkpoint inhibitors
Cytokines / immunomodulators
CAR-T cell therapy
Monoclonal antibodies
Cancer vaccines
Recognise commonly used immunotherapy drugs and their clinical indications
Identify immune-related adverse events (irAEs), including:
Commonly affected organ systems
Late-onset irAEs
Strategies for early recognition and management
Explore the nursing role in immunotherapy, including key assessments, patient education, and escalation of care
Apply learning through a clinical case study
Access practical resources to support patient care
Whether you’re new to immunotherapy or looking to solidify your understanding, this session will help build your confidence and clinical knowledge.
Michelle is a current member of the CNSA Education Standing Committee and Genitourinary Cancer Specialist Network Committee. Her oncology career commenced when she joined the Oncology Unit at the Children’s Hospital, Westmead. After more than a decade working in paediatric oncology, she took a position at The Westmead Breast Cancer Institute before moving into the position of McGrath Breast Care Nurse for Blacktown/Mt Druitt. Michelle moved to regional NSW in April 2019 and took a position as a Registered Nurse in the Oncology Unit at Griffith Base Hospital where she is now the Clinical Nurse Consultant.
Michelle is passionate about ensuring equal care is provided to people with a cancer diagnosis regardless of where they live or what their background is. She has a keen interest in educating oncology nurses to ensure they are the best they can be and believes that as nurses, we never stop learning.
Please accept {{cookieConsents}} cookies to view this content