The mission of City of Hope® is to transform the future of health care and make hope a reality for all touched by cancer and diabetes. That’s why at City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago, our Magnet®-recognized nursing team is at the heart of our work to provide hope and deliver world-class, research-driven care with empathy and compassion.
Florence Nightingale famously said, “Nursing is an art: requiring knowledge and critical thinking, but also empathy and a genuine desire to help others” – and we see City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago nurses demonstrating these qualities in numerous ways. For example, they:
- Pursue higher education, certifications and professional development opportunities to deepen their knowledge and skills
- Initiate and participate in quality improvement and evidence-based practice changes, shared governance and nursing research projects to maintain our high levels of patient safety and find ways to improve care across City of Hope Chicago
- Seek out opportunities to grow the profession by sharing their knowledge and expertise with their peers
- Help increase health literacy, improve access and make a difference in so many other ways by volunteering with numerous organizations in the communities we serve
Recognized for Excellence: ANCC Magnet Designation
City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago and its nursing team have achieved three consecutive Magnet® recognitions from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, most recently in January of 2023. Given only after a rigorous assessment of a hospital or medical center, Magnet recognition is one of the highest honors in nursing and a global recognition of the cancer center’s outstanding commitment to excellence in health care delivery and improvement of patient outcomes. For nurses, Magnet recognition means education and development through every career stage. For patients, it means best-in-class care, delivered by nurses who are supported to provide care rooted in excellence and compassion.
Dedicated to Excellence: By the Numbers
At City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago:
- As of January 2026, 88% of the nursing team holds a B.S.N. degree or higher, and 22% of the nursing team holds an M.S.N. or higher.*
- As of January 2026, 48% of eligible nurses hold one or more of 24 national specialty certifications, with 23% holding an oncology certification. Four nurses received a new specialty certification during 2025.*
- Four poster presentations were accepted at national conferences in 2025, two of which were in collaboration with other City of Hope locations.
- One nursing-led research project was completed in 2025, and a new nursing-led research project was started.
- Each year our nurses provide hundreds of hours of community outreach and education.
- City of Hope Chicago has established the Achievement in Clinical Excellence (ACE) Ladder Program to recognize nurses who participate in initiatives throughout the year in support of their own professional development.
- In 2025, 42 nurses participated in the program, with nine nurses achieving level 2, 22 achieving level 3, and 11 achieving level 4.
- In 2024, 44 nurses participated in the program, with 15 nurses achieving level 2, 17 achieving level 3 and 12 achieving level 4.
- Four nurses were honored with City of Hope Chicago’s 2025 Annual Nursing Awards.
*City of Hope Chicago is proud to support our nurses’ continued growth by offering reimbursement for tuition and certifications.
Learn more about nursing contributions at City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago through our Annual Nursing Report.
Honoring Excellence: DAISY Awards
The family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died of auto-immune disease complications at age 33, established the DAISY Foundation in 1999 to recognize extraordinary nurses everywhere who are making a difference every day. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses is now an international program that rewards and celebrates clinical skill and compassionate care. City of Hope Chicago is a proud DAISY Award Partner, honoring a nurse each quarter selected from the many nominations received from patients, families and employees.
Fostering Excellence: Transition to Practice Programs
City of Hope is the first organization to hold accreditation in all three American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Transition to Practice programs.
The Alan & Marlene Norton Nurse Residency Program is a 12-month transition to practice program for new graduate RNs, incorporating the Vizient/ANCC Nurse Residency Program data collection tools as well as Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) supplemental coursework focusing on in-depth knowledge of the care of the cancer patient. Two cohorts are offered per year, with recruiting typically starting in January and August.
The City of Hope Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship Program at our Duarte hospital was accredited in June 2025, and the first cohort of Illinois--based Nurse Practitioners joined in August 2025.
The City of Hope Nurse Fellowship Program is an 11-week transition to practice program designed to help experienced nurses transition to the specialty of oncology nursing. The fellowship incorporates the Vizient/AACN curriculum and is designed to support and augment orientation experiences as nurses become acclimated to their role as an oncology nurse at City of Hope. Through the program, nurse fellows complete coursework through ONS and participate in a Professional Governance Shadow Day, preceptor training and the City of Hope Mentoring Program. The fellowship program is offered multiple times a year.
Join Our Team
Interested in joining the City of Hope nursing team in Illinois and helping us turn hope into reality? Visit the City of Hope Careers page to learn about available opportunities.