ONS Overhauls Position Statement Program to Better Address Current Cancer Care Environment

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

For the past 35 years, ONS has taken a position on a variety of issues and communicated that view through position statements or white papers. Position statements support the mission of ONS, are current and significant, and speak to the unique perspective ONS may provide on an issue. Before developing new position statements, ONS considers what the Society can realistically accomplish and what other key stakeholders may need to be considered as cosponsors to the position.

During its July 2011 Board meeting in Pittsburgh, PA, the ONS Board of Directors conducted a thorough review of the Society’s nearly 30 current position statements based on the above-mentioned criteria. The Board noted that some of the current positions no longer speak to a perspective unique to ONS, may no longer be relevant, or are now common practice. As a result, some positions will be revised, some will be combined together and retitled, and others will be archived as they currently stand, with possible key components incorporated into other positions as applicable. Those that are archived will be removed from the ONS website and no longer considered current.

A workgroup comprised of Board and staff members is currently working to revise and combine some of the position statements. This work will require input from members with expertise in the particular topics.

Effective immediately, the following positions will be archived.

  • Use of Unlicensed Assistive Personnel in Cancer Care
  • Breast Cancer Screening
  • The Human Papillomavirus Vaccine and Prevention of Cervical Cancer
  • Identification of Registered Nurses in the Workplace
  • Patient Safety

The remaining positions are either still under review or will be revised or combined as applicable. For example, the Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention of Cervical Cancer positions will be archived as currently written, but the workgroup will explore options for incorporating current issues related to prevention and early detection of cancer into other positions. The positions that are incorporated into other positions will be archived.

ONS will continue to stay abreast of current issues significant to our members and speak to the unique perspective that ONS may provide on the issue. The ONS Board will be proactive in approving positions that fall within the Society’s strategic plan.

To view ONS’s list of current position statements, visit www.ons.org/Publications/Positions.

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