Specialized Knowledge: Quality Care. This is my ONS presidential platform. In several columns, I have discussed how ONS resources can provide you with the specialized knowledge and expertise to provide quality care. This issue, I’d like to focus on quality care.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) launched a grand challenge this year: Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation. The premise is that we are the largest health professionals group but also rate poorly on health indicators. If we improve our health, we can be role models for our family, friends, patients, and community. ONS is supporting the ANA challenge, and I hope you have seen the weekly ONS tips that will help in this challenge.

Earlier in 2017, a group of 12 nurses traveled to Cuba to learn about cancer care and the healthcare system there. Cubans are very proud of their healthcare and educational systems, which are offered without charge to their citizens. We learned so much on this trip, but my take-home message from this experience was the importance of prevention and early detection.

As Oncology Nursing Month, May saw celebrations at the ONS 42nd Annual Congress and in our workplaces. Nurses on ONS staff enjoyed recognition and celebration of their commitment to our mission and you. They partner closely with members who volunteer their time and expertise in developing initiatives and priorities for ONS. I would like to describe a few of those initiatives and work groups that have met at the national office in the first six months of 2017.

This year the American Nurses Association’s National Nurses Week theme was Nursing: The Balance of Mind, Body, and Spirit. Take time this month to establish new ways to find balance. As nurses we are taught to view the individuals we care for holistically, yet we don’t always care for ourselves with the same focus. Spring is a symbolic time to renew. Take time to learn something new, take actions to renew your spirit, and be mindful of ways to nourish your body. These actions are important for your health and for the health or those you care for.

As much of the Northeast received a spring snowstorm, the ONS Board of Directors met face to face in Pittsburgh the second week of March. For this Texas girl, it was a beautiful sight to watch the falling snow as the Board discussed important organizational issues, and I couldn’t help but draw associations between our board governance work and the seasonal work of sowing into programs and reaping the reward of those programs to achieve our organizational vision.

As the largest healthcare profession and the one most trusted by the public in the annual Gallup survey, nurses have the power to improve the health of communities throughout the country by bringing their expertise into the boardroom. However, we are an absent voice in so many of those boardrooms.

The ONS budgeting cycle is not unlike what occurs annually at each of our healthcare settings. ONS staff and senior leadership work to develop a budget each year. In March 2017, the ONS Board of Directors met with staff to review the year-end financials for 2016. This review helps us prepare for the treasurer’s presentation during the Business Meeting at the 42nd Annual ONS Congress in Denver in May.  We will meet again in September and October to review and approve the proposed budget for 2018.

In collaboration with the former President Obama’s health policy team and the Cancer Moonshot, myself and several other members of ONS were invited to attend a community oncology event as part of the White House’s Making Health Care Better series.  The event, “Addressing the Cancer Challenge: Progress in Research, Prevention, Coverage, and Quality,” took place at the White House complex on January 11, 2017. It was by invitation only from the White House Cancer Moonshot Task Force.

In September, ONS conducted a member survey with 14,728 randomly selected members. Thanks to the 1,842 (12.7%) who responded, the ONS Board of Directors and staff have learned much about the pressing challenges you face in your practice. Most frequently cited were appropriate staffing levels or mix (64%), staff training and education (50%), sufficient patient care resources (38%), and compassion fatigue (36%). You also added many other challenges to the list. This information will guide ONS in developing resources and services for you. It facilitates our identifying gaps in what we offer and what may be needed.

Two years ago, I became ONS’s third chief executive officer and the staff partner to a Board of Directors that had a clear vision for a system that marches. If, as a member, you feel that ONS has undergone many changes in the past two years, you are correct.

At the end of July, Pittsburgh was full of energy and excitement as more than 400 oncology nurses attended Leadership Weekend. The experience is designed for ONS Chapter and Community leaders, as well as Board members of all three corporations and our Leadership Development Committee, to share ideas and learn leadership skills.

On May 1 during the 2016 Congress, I introduced my ONS presidential platform, “Specialized Knowledge: Quality Care.” Cancer nursing requires dedication, skill, and KNOWLEDGE. Oncology nursing, as we all know, is constantly changing. New treatments. New standards. New regulations. New processes. The list goes on. Staying informed and prepared for the future of oncology is daunting for any oncology nurse.

As I start this amazing adventure as your new ONS president, I can’t help but pause and reflect on how I got here. Those of you who know me say that I am an organized, motivated, dedicated oncology nurse who is proud to be involved in ONS. What I’ve never had was a specific five-year plan. Instead, I’ve had role models: individuals who inspired me, recognized my potential, and often channeled my energy in the right direction.

As one of the largest professions in the United States, nursing encompasses many different avenues of study and patient care. From bedside to research to education and beyond, this workforce accounts for more than 3 million RNs. On March 15, ONS president-elect, Susan Schneider, PhD, RN, AOCN®, FAAN, presented at the Nursing Community Senate Caucus in Washington, DC. The caucus provided nursing advocates a forum to relay the importance of the field of nursing to senators.

CHANGE has been a theme throughout my presidency. Think about it. The ONS staff leadership changed, bringing on the third chief executive officer in 40 years. The ONS Board of Directors changed the ONS mission, vision, and core values; developed a strategic plan that aligns with the revisions; and created bylaw changes for members’ vote.