Very few oncology nurses just attend seminars because they believe it is expected of them. Or use it as a way to meet up with old friends. Most attend these because they view it as a form of continuing education which is highly important to them.
In the UK oncology nurses are fortunate in that there is usually always som
e type of seminar taking place that is applicable to oncology nursing. One that many find most interesting and give a very high level of importance is seminars that are related to breakthroughs in medicine particularly as it relates to cancer.
Oncology is one of those fields of medicine where the nurses are exposed to patients for a longer period of time then they may be in other areas of medicine. For example, compared to OR nurses or emergency room nurses, the oncology nurses spend a lot more time with the same patients on an ongoing basis. They cannot help but form an attachment to them every though they are encouraged not to.
In a lot of these cases, the patients become attached to the oncology nurses and they build a trust in them. They will rely on them for advice and comfort. 
The patients will often ask the nurses about the type of cancer they are dealing with. They are anxious to know what is happening by way of treatment for them. Nurses that are faced with these questions are much better equipped to answer these types of questions if they are kept up to date as to what medical breakthroughs there are. One of the ways they can stay informed is through attending seminars that relate to this. By doing this it allows them to perform their duties much better because they are more knowledgeable about what is taking place with this type of cancer.
Many times it acts as encouragement for the nurses as they are happy to hear when progress is being made. These are the nurses that are on the front line in fighting this disease and many times they feel like they are fighting a losing battle. When they know there is new hope on the horizon it can strengthen them and allow them to strengthen their patients mentally by giving realistic hope.
