Let's Grow Together and Transform Oncology Care at the Annual Oncology Nursing Congress

The theme for the 44^th Annual Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Congress is “Growing Together, Transforming Care,”¹ and this resonates all too well with me. Every year I attend the ONS Congress, and I find it to be an educational high, as I enjoy seeing oncology nurses from around the globe come together, networking, sharing best practices, mentoring, and presenting the latest and greatest data in oncology practice to our peers. These are just a few benefits of attending the ONS Congress, not to mention that the destination will be a delight, too, since the meeting will be held April 11-14, 2019, in Anaheim, California.

The meeting planners have done a great job outlining the 2019 congress by session tracks to meet the needs of attendees and I am delighted to say that I will be co-presenter of the “Fostering Exceptional Leadership in Oncology Nursing,” session on April 12.

I will share this platform with some dynamic co-presenters, including Ashley Bryant PhD, RN-BC, OCN, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing, and AnnMarie Walton PhD, MPH, RN, OCN, CHES, from Duke University School of Nursing. While we have diverse backgrounds, together we will share our leadership journeys in hopes of inspiring and developing the next generation of oncology nursing leaders who will continue to advance our nursing profession. As leadership expert John C. Maxwell once said, “a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”

With new therapies, diagnostics, and practice changes occurring at a rapid pace in oncology, nurses attending Congress will learn new skills and acquire knowledge that will equip them to deliver more effective and safer patient care. Congress is also a great opportunity for oncology nurses to learn more about the importance of certification. Certification demonstrates competence at a higher level and illustrates that a nurse has taken that extra step to become an expert in their field. According to the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation, “certification increases your knowledge, advances your career and most importantly, helps you to become a better nurse.”²

Congress registration is now open and early-bird registration ends Feb. 28, 2019. You can earn up to 30 CNEs, and remember that you can apply for an ONS Congress scholarship, which provides $1200 toward registration, travel to and from the meeting, and per diem expenses. You have to apply in order to be eligible for the grant, and the grantee’s Congress registration fee will be automatically deducted from the grant prior to payment.

References

• ONS 44^th Annual Congress. Oncology Nursing Society website. congress.ons.org. Accessed November 13, 2018.
• Certifications. Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation website. oncc.org/certifications. Accessed November 13, 2018.