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Post-Conference Session Summaries

Annual Business Meeting and Town Hall Provide Opportunity to Share Information

Each Congress, ONS offers its annual Business Meeting and Town Hall to share its annual reports and obtain feedback from the membership. The meeting begins with official reports from each of the Society's primary governing groups and affiliate corporations.

Highlights from this year's meeting include:

  • ONS Board Highlights
    • New CEO was hired
    • Advocacy efforts included the Coalition for Patients Rights, legislative visits, and pay for performance
    • Partnerships with the American Society of Clinical Oncology and its Clinical Practice Committee have been forged to address the workforce shortage.
    • Survivorship efforts have been initiated with Sigma Theta Tau and the National Coalition of Cancer Survivors
  • ONS Treasurer's Report: ONS continues to be fiscally healthy with diversified investments
  • ONS Accomplishments
    • Membership reaches an all-time high of more than 36,000 members.
    • The evidence-based practice project, Putting Evidence into Practice (PEP), and its associated ONS PEP cards debuted.
    • ONS launched a new brand identity and consistency initiative.
    • Oncology Education Services (OES) division merged into the ONS Education Team.
  • Nominating Committee Report
    • In 2006, the voter response rate was only 8.9%. A survey was conducted to determine why so few members vote in the elections. As a result, podcasts were created to better introduce the candidates, additional reminder e-mails were sent, ONS increased outreach to chapters and SIGs, and biographical sketches and position descriptions were made more visible.
    • The 2007 voter response rate was an all-time high of 16.6%.
  • Steering Council Update
    • 2006 programs and products included the “Developing Our Chapters” audioconference series, site-specific online courses for lung and head and neck cancers, the Nurse Sensitive Patient Outcomes Chapter Champion program, redesign of the ONS News to ONS Connect, and the pharmacology course.
    • The Steering Council also updated ONS's Education Agenda, which is used to ensure that ONS is responsive to the needs and priorities of the profession.
  • Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation Highlights
    • Pearson Vue was selected to be ONCC's new testing partner beginning January 2008.
    • Subspecialty programs will analyzed via role delineation studies for breast care, radiation therapy, and blood and marrow stem cell transplant.
    • ONCC will award a $60,000 research grant for study into the impact of certification on oncology nursing sensitive patient outcomes.
    • The fourth role delineation study for the OCN® program is under way.
  • ONS Foundation Accomplishments
    • $5.1 million has been raised during the quiet phase of the Silver Anniversary Campaign.
    • The ONS Foundation awarded $1.7 million in awards, grants, scholarships, and educational programming in 2006.
    • Chapter fundraising in honor of Pearl Moore generated $51,000 in donations.
  • ONSEdge Report
    • ONSEdge, the Society's for-profit subsidiary, produced four advisory meetings, three market research studies, a chapter leadership training program, and a speaker bureau training program in 2006.
    • Although its business plan calls for ONSEdge to earn no or low profits until 2008, all indications are that ONSEdge will see a profit and pay dividends to ONS in 2007.

Members are encouraged to complete and submit the “Town Hall Flyer” found in the attendee syllabus and onsite to bring to the attention of ONS leaders any concerns or questions they may have. If you have questions or concerns for the ONS Board and leadership at any time or are not able to attend Congress or the Institutes of Learning, you may contact ONS at executive@ons.org.