Provider Program

“The APHON Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Provider Program is the only program of its kind and is now a criterion of the U.S News and World Report Best Children’s Hospital. This program is designed to provide nurses with information about how to safely administer chemotherapy and biotherapy to children and adolescents with cancer.” (https://health.usnews.com/media/best-hospitals/BCH_methodology_2020-21.pdf)

What Do Program Participants Receive?

Participants receive instruction on:

  • The difference between adult and pediatric cancers
  • Clinical trials
  • Chemotherapy and biotherapy agents and administration
  • Side effects 
  • Toxicity and symptom management 
  • Psychosocial issues
  • Legal and ethical issues


After attending the course and successfully completing the exam, participants will receive an APHON pediatric chemotherapy and biotherapy provider card, confirming that they have fulfilled the program requirements. The 2-day course provides 14 NCPD contact hours. Pediatric Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Providers are required to renew their status. The initial renewal takes place within 2 years of attending a pediatric chemotherapy/biotherapy provider course and achieving a passing score on the post-test. Subsequent renewals occur every 2 years thereafter through the Provider Renewal Program.

Please note: The provider card indicates the individual has the knowledge required to administer pediatric chemotherapy and biotherapy but does not ensure clinical competence. Resources for measurement of clinical competence are provided in the curriculum.

Required Materials

The Pediatric Chemotherapy Biotherapy Curriculum 4th Edition is the required textbook for all Chemotherapy/Biotherapy courses that contains a unique, one-time use exam code that can only be purchased directly through APHON or directly from your APHON verified course instructor. The Pediatric Chemotherapy Biotherapy Curriculum 4th Edition can be found in our online store for purchase


To ensure timely delivery and prevent shipping delays, we kindly request that you place any textbook orders at least three weeks in advance of the first day of your class. Once an order is submitted, it may take up to 10 business days for you to receive your order. Please note that we do not provide expedited or rushed shipping, and orders are processed in the sequence in which they are received.


APHON does not sell the Pediatric Chemotherapy Biotherapy Curriculum to outside vendors.  This includes any products found on Amazon or used bookstores.  Purchases made through an outside distributor cannot be guaranteed and exam codes cannot be reactivated.

Program Policies

  1. A Pediatric Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Provider is a registered nurse who has successfully completed the APHON Pediatric Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Provider Course.
  2. The status of a Pediatric Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Provider is maintained through renewal every 2 years.
  3. To renew this status, individuals need to successfully purchase and complete a 25-question, 90-minute, open-note exam every 2 years following their initial course.
  4. It is recommended to undergo annual education specifically related to the administration of chemotherapy and biotherapy, along with skills validation by employers.

Provider courses are taught by APHON instructors throughout the U.S. If you’re interested in attending a course, you can find a list of upcoming provider courses on our events page.

Disclaimer: APHON does not participate in the planning or execution of the provider courses. See instructor contact information for course details.

If you would like to host a course at your facility, please reach out to the APHON education team at education@aphon.org for more details.

Accreditation and Disclaimer

Pharmacology Content

This program may be also recognized for the amount of 2.5 hours of pharmacology content indicated as calculated by the APHON Pediatric Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Provider Program Committee. APHON does not award pharmacology credit. APHON recommends that attendees retain a copy of the provider course brochure for supportive documentation to submit to your state’s nursing board. Please note that you may not apply NCPD credit toward pharmacology content. The content may be applied in only one area, nursing contact hours or pharmacology content.

ONCC Individual Learning Needs Assessment (ILNA) 

The program content has been reviewed by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC) and is acceptable for recertification points.

CPHON® Blueprint

  • Treatment Modalities
  • Symptom Management
  • Psychosocial
  • Survivorship
  • Disease-Related Biology
  • Professional

BMTCN® Blueprint

  • Survivorship
  • Basic Concepts
  • Professional
  • Post-Transplant Issues
  • Preparative Regimens

ONCC review is only for designating content to be used for recertification points and is not for NCPD accreditation. NCPD programs must be formally approved for contact hours by an acceptable accreditor/approver of nursing NCPDs to be used for recertification by ONCC. If the NCPD provider fails to obtain formal approval to award contact hours by an acceptable accrediting/approval body, no information related to ONCC recertification may be used in relation to the program. Have questions regarding the CPHON® ILNA Coding? Please visit the ONCC website or call them toll-free at 877.769.ONCC (US and Canada only).

Accreditation

The Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON) is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Disclosure

A staff member, volunteer, or family member who has an affiliation with an ineligible company must declare that relationship in advance of involvement with an educational activity that could be used as a forum to promote the interest of that company and its products. Disclosures will be made available prior to each individual course.