Oncology Nursing Society

The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) is a nonprofit professional association serving oncology nurses and other healthcare professionals involved in cancer care. Its purpose is to support excellence in oncology nursing, strengthen the oncology workforce, promote evidence-based practice, and contribute to the transformation of cancer care. The society serves more than 35,000 members and has developed a chapter network of approximately 215 local organizations. ONS traces its origins to the first National Cancer Nursing Research Conference in 1973. That meeting was supported by the American Nurses Association and the American Cancer Society and brought attention to the need for a national organization focused specifically on oncology nursing. A group of oncology nurses subsequently worked toward establishing a permanent professional society, which was incorporated in 1975. From that base, ONS expanded its education, publishing, professional-development, and advocacy activities. Membership is available to registered nurses and other eligible healthcare professionals working across a broad range of oncology roles. Members may work as staff nurses, advanced practice nurses, case managers, educators, researchers, consultants, administrators, or specialists in other clinical and nonclinical settings. The society’s resources address multiple cancer-care subspecialties and practice environments, including hospitals, outpatient settings, academic institutions, community care, research, and professional education. Education is a central part of ONS’s work. The organization provides online learning, in-person programs, conferences, and electronic conferences covering cancer therapies, symptom management, clinical practice, patient safety, professional development, and related subjects. ONS is accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation as a provider of continuing nursing education and is also recognized by the California Board of Registered Nursing as a continuing-education provider. The society publishes the Oncology Nursing Forum and the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, as well as the professional news magazine ONS Voice. It also develops books, clinical guidelines, standards, educational materials, and other resources for oncology professionals and the wider cancer-care community. Its annual Congress is described as the largest conference dedicated specifically to oncology nursing, providing a venue for education, research dissemination, networking, and discussion of developments in cancer treatment and nursing practice. ONS also acts as an advocacy organization. It engages with policymakers at local, state, national, and international levels and participates in broader nursing coalitions. Its policy work has included support for improving access to cancer treatment, controlling treatment costs, strengthening quality of care, and recognizing the clinical contribution of nurses. In 2013, the society supported the reintroduction of federal legislation that would have provided Medicare reimbursement for registered nurses’ time spent educating people with cancer and their caregivers about disease and treatment effects. The organization formerly operated ONS:Edge, a for-profit healthcare intelligence subsidiary. ONS:Edge provided advisory-board services, conference-related ancillary events, speaker-bureau programs, strategic planning and marketing support, market research, and communications or awareness-campaign services. ONS is distinct from the Oncology Nursing Foundation and the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation, although all operate within the broader oncology-nursing professional ecosystem. Its present identity is that of an active nonprofit society combining membership services, education, publications, conferences, clinical resources, and public-policy advocacy.

The Oncology Nursing Society emerged from the growth of cancer nursing as a distinct professional field in the United States. Its immediate origin was the National Cancer Nursing Research Conference held in 1973 with support from the American Nurses Association and the American Cancer Society. The conference brought together professionals who recognized that oncology nurses needed a dedicated national organization capable of supporting research, education, professional identity, and clinical standards. After the conference, a smaller group of oncology nurses continued discussions about creating a permanent association. Their work led to the formal incorporation of the Oncology Nursing Society in 1975. The organization was established as a nonprofit membership society rather than as a commercial healthcare provider. Its early and continuing mission has been to promote excellence in oncology nursing and to improve the quality of cancer care through professional development, information exchange, research dissemination, and advocacy. Over time, ONS developed a distributed chapter structure, eventually reaching approximately 215 chapters. This network gave members local opportunities for education, networking, and professional participation while the national society provided larger-scale programs and resources. The membership base expanded beyond traditional hospital staff roles to include advanced practice nurses, case managers, educators, researchers, consultants, administrators, and other professionals involved in oncology care. The society consequently became a platform serving varied cancer-care settings and specialties. Education became one of ONS’s principal activities. The society created continuing-education programs in both online and face-to-face formats, including material on contemporary cancer treatments, symptom management, clinical decision-making, and professional practice. It obtained accreditation as a provider of continuing nursing education from the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation and also received recognition as a provider for the California Board of Registered Nursing. Conferences and electronic conferences extended the organization’s reach beyond local chapters. ONS also built a substantial publishing program. The Oncology Nursing Forum functions as a scholarly journal for research and professional discussion, while the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing focuses on clinically relevant information for practice. ONS Voice serves as a news and professional magazine in print and digital formats. Books, guidelines, standards, and other educational publications broaden the society’s role from membership association to information and knowledge infrastructure for oncology nursing. The annual ONS Congress became a signature institutional event. It provides a large forum for continuing education, research presentations, clinical updates, networking, and debate about the future of cancer care. The conference’s scale and specialization have made it a central meeting point for oncology nursing professionals. Public policy has been another major strand of the society’s development. ONS participates in nursing and healthcare coalitions and communicates with policymakers at multiple levels. Its advocacy has addressed access to treatment, affordability, quality, the role of nurses in cancer care, and support for patients and caregivers. In 2010, the society joined a nursing consensus statement related to healthcare reform and supported nursing provisions in reform legislation. In 2013, it backed the reintroduction of federal legislation designed to create Medicare reimbursement for cancer-treatment education delivered by registered nurses. At one stage, ONS operated ONS:Edge as a for-profit subsidiary focused on healthcare intelligence and professional services. Its activities included advisory boards, conference-related events, speaker-bureau programs, strategic planning, market research, and communications or awareness campaigns. This initiative complemented the society’s professional and educational activities but represented a separate commercial structure. ONS remains an active nonprofit professional society. Its current model combines membership and chapter services with accredited education, a major annual congress, scholarly and professional publishing, clinical resources, and advocacy. It exists within a wider ecosystem that includes the Oncology Nursing Foundation and the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation, but it is a separate organization with its own membership, publications, programs, and policy role.

• 2013

  Cancer-treatment education bill reintroduced

  [1]Oncology Nursing Societyen.wikipedia.org

  ONS supported the reintroduction of legislation proposing Medicare reimbursement for registered-nurse education of people with cancer and their caregivers.

• 2010

  Healthcare-reform advocacy

  [1]Oncology Nursing Societyen.wikipedia.org

  ONS joined a nursing consensus effort concerning access, cost, and quality of cancer treatment and advocated for nursing provisions in healthcare reform measures.

• 1975

  Formal incorporation of ONS

  [1]Oncology Nursing Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The Oncology Nursing Society was incorporated as a nonprofit professional membership organization.

• 1973

  National Cancer Nursing Research Conference

  [1]Oncology Nursing Societyen.wikipedia.org

  A national conference supported by the American Nurses Association and the American Cancer Society helped identify the need for a dedicated organization for oncology nursing.

A member-led professional society positioned as a leading education, publishing, networking, and advocacy organization for oncology nurses and the wider cancer-care community.

• Professional conference

  ONS Congress

  ONS Congress is the society’s flagship annual conference dedicated to oncology nursing. It brings together nurses and other cancer-care professionals for continuing education, research presentations, clinical updates, networking, and discussion of emerging issues in cancer treatment and nursing practice.

• Scholarly journal

  Oncology Nursing Forum

  A scholarly publication supporting research communication and professional discussion in oncology nursing. It forms part of ONS’s publishing platform and helps circulate evidence and developments relevant to cancer nursing practice.

• Clinical journal

  Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing

  A clinically oriented journal offering information for oncology nursing practice. It complements the society’s research publication by focusing on practical knowledge, patient care, treatment developments, and issues encountered by nurses in clinical settings.

• Professional news magazine

  ONS Voice

  ONS Voice is the society’s professional news magazine, distributed in print and online. It communicates organizational news, professional developments, member information, and issues relevant to oncology nursing.

• Education

  Continuing nursing education

  ONS provides online, in-person, and electronic learning programs for oncology nurses. Topics include cancer treatment, symptom management, clinical practice, professional development, and related aspects of safe and effective cancer care. The society is accredited to provide continuing nursing education.

• Healthcare intelligence and professional services

  ONS:Edge

  ONS:Edge was a former for-profit subsidiary associated with the Oncology Nursing Society. It provided healthcare advisory boards, conference ancillary events, speaker-bureau programs, strategic planning and marketing support, market research, and communications or awareness-campaign services.

• 2013Cancer treatment education reimbursement advocacy

  United States

  ONS supported the Assuring and Improving Cancer Treatment Education and Cancer Symptom Act, which sought Medicare reimbursement for registered nurses educating patients with cancer and their caregivers.

  Outcome. The legislation was reintroduced in the House of Representatives. The supplied references do not confirm enactment.

  Source
• 2010Nursing healthcare-reform advocacy

  United States

  ONS participated in a broader nursing advocacy effort focused on improving patients’ access to cancer treatment, addressing treatment costs, and maintaining quality of care during healthcare-reform discussions.

  Outcome. ONS advocated for nursing-related provisions in healthcare reform proposals; the supplied references do not establish a specific legislative outcome attributable to the society.

  Source

• 2013

  Support for cancer-treatment education legislationOther

  Background

  ONS identified nurse-led education for patients with cancer and caregivers as an important component of treatment and symptom management.

  Action taken

  The society supported reintroduced federal legislation proposing Medicare reimbursement for registered nurses’ cancer-treatment education.

  Aftermath

  The proposal received ONS advocacy support, but the supplied references do not establish that it became law.

  Source

• 1975

  Establishment as a national nonprofit societyStrategy

  Background

  Following the 1973 National Cancer Nursing Research Conference, oncology nurses sought a permanent national organization dedicated to their profession.

  Action taken

  The organization was formally incorporated as the Oncology Nursing Society.

  Aftermath

  ONS developed into a national and international professional network providing education, publications, conferences, clinical resources, and advocacy.

  Source

1. 1Oncology Nursing Societyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Oncology Nursing Society official websiteons.org