ONCC News The Newsletter of the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation The Newsletter of the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation 125 Enterprise Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15275-1214 Toll free: 877-769-ONCC Phone: 412-859-6104 Fax: 412-859-6168 E-mail: oncc@ons.org Web site: www.oncc.org Volume XX, No. 3, Fall 2006 Mark Your Calendar With 2007 Test Dates, Deadlines For those interested in taking the OCN or CPON certification examination, you can apply to take a computer-based test in April, July, or October 2007. Paper-andpencil versions of the OCN and CPON test will be offered on April 23, 2007, in Las Vegas, NV (in conjunction with the Oncology Nursing Society 32nd Annual Congress), and at international test sites outside North America only. Please note: That will be the only opportunity for paper-and-pencil based testing in 2007. All other examinations will be computer based and administered at computerbased testing centers. AOCNP and AOCNS certification candidates will benefit from year-round availability of computerized testing. Candidates may apply at any time and, if eligible to test, will receive an authorization to test that provides for a 90-day testing period. (See OCN and CPON Test Dates and Deadlines Test Date(s) (Excluding Sundays) April 16 28, 2007 April 23, 2007* July 16 28, 2007 October 15 27, 2007 * See note in article. First Application Deadline (Save $75!) January 10, 2007 January 10, 2007 April 11, 2007 July 11, 2007 Apply online or learn more at www.oncc.org. Advanced Testing Becomes More Convenient on page 4 for more information.) Paper-and-pencil AOCNP and AOCNS tests Final Application Deadline (Full Fee) January 24, 2007 January 24, 2007 April 25, 2007 July 25, 2007 will be offered on April 23, 2007, in Las Vegas, NV, and at specially arranged international test sites outside North America. Grateful Patient Donates $10,000 for Certification Mark Flitcraft, RN, BSN, OCN Who could have predicted that a newly forged relationship between an oncology nurse and her patient would lead to a donation to support certification? Meet the oncology certified nurse whose passion for certification prompted a patient to do just that. Marcelle Kaplan, RN, MS, OCN, AOCN, has been a proud supporter of oncology nursing certification for years. Having served as ONCC president from 1998 1999, Kaplan currently works as the breast oncology clinical nurse specialist at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, NY. The donor is a female patient of Kaplan s who was diagnosed with breast cancer and also was found to have multiple myeloma during her disease workup. Her course of treatment included surgery for the breast cancer and an autologous stem cell transplant for the multiple myeloma. A former social worker, the patient became familiar with the oncology nurses who cared for her and developed a special connection with Kaplan. Kaplan makes a point to inform patients and families that she is a certified oncology nurse, thus stressing the value of her credentials. During the course of treatment, the patient spoke of her desire to give back to the cancer program that had helped her and asked Kaplan for advice. Kaplan agreed that a donation to the center would be appreciated and suggested that the woman also consider recognizing the care and expertise of the certified oncology nurses whom she had come to know during treatment by supporting oncology nursing certification activities at the hospital. The patient made a generous donation to the Weill Cornell Breast Center and, shortly afterward, called Kaplan and said she was ready to donate (See Donation, page 3) What s Inside... Editor s Message... 2 Meet the Candidates... 3 Testing More Convenient... 4 Item Writing 101... 4 Employer Spotlight... 5 Pediatric Group Changes Name... 7
Editor s Message Inspire Others About Your Certification Heather Thompson Mackey, RN, MSN, APRN, BC, AOCN What do you value most about your oncology nursing certification? How do you respond to physicians, other nurses, and patients when they ask, What does oncology certification mean? This issue of ONCC News shares the story of one nurse and her patient s experience with care delivered by oncology certified nurses. As you reflect on your own experiences, I encourage you to share them with ONCC News via the Readers Respond question (see page 7). Perhaps they will serve as inspiration to others in their own practice. On behalf of the ONCC News Editorial Board, I would like to welcome Michael Smart, RN, BSN, OCN, to the Editorial Board. Michael works as a staff nurse on a medical hematology and oncology floor at Huntsville Hospital in Alabama and was the first staff nurse on his unit to achieve oncology certification. Thank you for your enthusiasm and commitment to oncology nursing certification, Michael! Thanks, too, to our immediate past editor, Susan Newton, RN, MS, AOCN, AOCNS, for her years of dedication to the publication of ONCC News and contributions to the field of oncology nursing, particularly certification. The ONCC News Editorial Board, along with the ONCC Board of Directors, is committed to ensuring that each reader finds the ONCC News to be a timely, informative, and valuable means of communication. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the Board at oncc@ons.org. Thanks to each of you for all that you do to promote oncology nursing certification and the delivery of high-quality nursing care. Board Tackles Timely Issues Lori Nicholson, MS, MA Public member, ONCC Board of Directors The nine-member ONCC Board of Directors held its fall meeting October 13 15, 2006, at the ONCC National Office in Pittsburgh, PA. The meeting s principal task was to approve the upcoming year s budget, but the Board addressed many other topics, trends, and initiatives. The Board is pleased to announce that the number of Roberta Scofield Awards will increase from 50 to 75 in 2008. The Board recognizes that many certified and not-yet-certified oncology nurses may not receive financial support for certification from their employers, and this is one way ONCC can directly assist nurses committed to certification. For information about how to apply for a 2008 Roberta Scofield Award, visit www.oncc.org/ awards/scofield.shtml. The popular Certification Oasis will return to the Oncology Nursing Society Congress in April 2007 in Las Vegas, NV. There, oncology certified nurses will be able to relax, refresh, and re-energize for their busy Congress activities. Also at Congress, ONCC will host a forum where oncology nursing certification advocates now numbering more than 500 in 45 states will be able to convene and share experiences. If you are an advocate, watch for more information about the new event at Congress. Subspecialty certification continues to demand the attention of the Board. Subspecialty knowledge and competency can be recognized in many ways. At its October meeting, the Board authorized funding for logical job analyses (LJAs) to be performed for three subspecialty areas: breast care, radiation therapy, and blood and marrow stem cell transplantation. The results from the LJAs will help frame the Board s next step on the complex issue. Every five years, the nursing role upon which each certification test is based must be re-evaluated. In 2007, a fresh OCN role delineation study is necessary, and the Board approved funding for completion of the study. The American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS) recently announced results from a new survey on the value of certification. The ONCC Board reviewed the results, which confirm the perceived value of certification. Twenty of ABNS s member organizations, including ONCC, participated. More than 11,000 nurses representing 36 certification credentials responded to the survey. Read the executive summary and press release at http://nursingcertification.org/ index.html. Finally, two seats on the ONCC Board are up for election. The online voting window is open until December 15, 2006. The Board encourages all oncology certified nurses to vote. For more information, please see Meet the Candidates, page 3. Share Your Opinion of ONCC News What do you like about ONCC News? What would you change if you could? An upcoming ONCC News reader survey will give you a chance to share your valuable opinions. The ONCC News Editorial Board will conduct the survey to obtain feedback on what readers would like to see in ONCC News. The survey will be conducted online and will take just a few minutes to com- plete. Readers will be invited to share their opinions on various features, as well as the new electronic format. The results of the survey will be used to develop content for future issues and to ensure that the newsletter meets the needs of its readers. As you read this issue, get ready to share your opinions. Then watch your e-mail for an invitation to participate in the survey. 2
Meet the Candidates for ONCC Board of Directors Voting has begun for two positions on the ONCC Board of Directors. If you haven t cast your vote, learn about the candidates on the ballot. Three nurses have been slated for a position to be filled by an OCN, and two nurses have been slated for the position open to an AOCN, AOCNP, or AOCNS certified nurse. Meet the candidates. Director OCN certified nurse Inga Aksamit, RN, MBA, OCN, vice president of clinical services, National Oncology Alliance, San Rafael, CA Oncology Nursing Society, Bone Marrow Transplantation SIG, newsletter editor, 1997 1999 National Oncology Alliance, American Society of Clinical Oncology Highlights Program, program leader, 2006 National Oncology Alliance, Educate Study, item writer, 2005 2006 Amgen Inc., Journal Club, leader, 2003 2005 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, International Bone Marrow Transplantation Program Planning Committee, member, 1992 1993 Mary Blaney, RN, OCN, director of operations, Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Center, Savannah, GA advocates program, 2002 2006 Georgia Chapter, president, 1999 Georgia Chapter, Nominating Committee, chair, 2000 2002 Memorial Health University Medical Center, Nursing Vision Committee, member, 2004 Donation Memorial Health University Medical Center, Shared Governance Development Committee, co-chair, 2005 2006 Julie Earle, RN, OCN, radiation oncology nursing supervisor, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN Minnesota Chapter, president/presidentelect/treasurer, 1998 2002 Minnesota Chapter, Nominating Committee, chair, 2002 2005 Minnesota Chapter, Membership Committee, chair, 1997 2001 Mayo Clinic Cancer Conference and Review Course Planning Committee, member, 2002 2006 Mayo Clinic Cancer Conference Oncology Review Course, presenter, 2005 Director AOCN, AOCNP, or AOCNS certified nurse Barbara Barnes Rogers, CRNP, MN, AOCN, adult hematology-oncology nurse practitioner, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA Advanced Practice Test Development Committee, chair, 2004 2006, member, 2002 2007 item writer, 2002 Oncology Nursing Society, Board of Directors, member, 1999 2002 Oncology Nursing Society, Nominating Committee, chair, 1995 1996, member, 1995 1998 Oncology Nursing Society, Advanced Practice Nurse Retreat Project Team, member, 2000 (Continued from page 1) $10,000, specifically to benefit oncology certified nurses! A portion of the donation has been used to fund an on-site oncology nursing certification review course for more than 20 oncology nurses, and the facility plans to repeat the review course for additional nurses in the near future. A special thank-you to the patient, who recognized that certification makes a dif- 3 Carol Brueggen, MS, APRN, BC, AOCNS, oncology clinical nurse specialist, St. Mary s Hospital, Rochester, MN; assistant professor of nursing, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Recognition Subcommittee, member, 2006 Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse of the Year, 2006 advocates program, 2006 Mayo Clinic, Cancer Conference and Oncology Review Course Planning Committee, member 2003, 2005 2007 Minnesota Chapter, president, 2005 and 2000 All voting will be completed online. Survey and Ballot Systems, an independent election administrator, sent an e-mail to certified nurses with a link to the online ballot. Certified nurses without e-mail addresses in the ONCC database were mailed a letter with instructions on how to access a ballot from any computer with Internet access. All ballots must be cast by 11:59 pm CST on December 15, 2006. ference. Hats off to Kaplan for stepping forward and gently suggesting that contributing to the professional development of certified oncology nurses is a great way to express appreciation for the care they provide.
Advanced Testing Now More Convenient Michael Smart, RN, BSN, OCN Responding to the needs of nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists, ONCC has changed the test administration process for AOCNP and AOCNS candidates. Starting in 2007, applicants for the AOCNS and AOCNP tests will have the flexibility of year-round testing at computer-based testing facilities throughout North America. Previously, the tests were offered in 12-day windows on a quarterly basis. The change results from feedback from nurses in states that require advanced practice certification prior to granting advanced practice nurse status and from nurses seeking employment as advanced practice nurses with employers that require certification. Although the fact that certification is required is commendable, timing is difficult. Previously, when tests were offered four times per year, several months could pass between the time a candidate became eligible to apply for a test and the next available testing opportunity. That was problematic for nurses working in states or for employers requiring advanced certification. An application to take an AOCNP or AOCNS test may be submitted to ONCC as soon as a candidate has met all of the eligibility criteria for the test. If confirmed by ONCC as eligible to test, the applicant will receive an authorization to test within four weeks. The authorization will open a 90-day period of time during which the advanced practice nurse may take a test. Of note, a test may not be taken later than the 90-day period, nor can the 90-day period be changed to a later time. If a nurse is unable to take the test during the specified time and wants to take the test at a later time, he or she will have to submit another application and test fee. ONCC is not incurring additional expenses related to the change at this time; therefore, the cost to applicants will not increase. For more information about the AOCNP and AOCNS tests, visit the ONCC Web site at www.oncc.org/getcertified/test Information/index.shtml. Item Writing 101: Is This the Volunteer Opportunity for You? Janice Nuuhiwa, RN, MSN, CPON Certified nurses commit time and effort to make the tests a true marker of knowledge and commitment to a profession that is truly great. Thelma Baker, RN, BSN, OCN As an oncology certified nurse, you may have contemplated the process behind developing a certification examination or wondered about who writes the test items. The ONCC Test Development Committees are responsible for developing the examinations, and they fulfill their role in part by mentoring a group of volunteers known as item writers. ONCC places calls at various times for certified nurses who are interested in writing test items for specific certification tests. Selected nurses attend an Item Writing Workshop in Pittsburgh, PA, where they are introduced to the process of creating test items. Members of the Advanced Practice Test Development Committee, the OCN Test Development Committee, and the CPON Test Development Committee serve as mentors for their respective item writers. During the workshop, attendees review each step in the process of creating a certification examination, a process that begins with the results of a role delineation study. A role delineation study identifies the knowledge necessary for competent performance and paves the way for constructing an outline of the subject areas that must be included on a certification test. The outline, known as a test blueprint, is used to guide the development of test items. Specific topic areas from a test blueprint are assigned to each item writer, and the mentors lead the novice item writers through the process of creating appropriate multiple-choice test items by combing through the oncology references used by ONCC. During the workshop, attendees learn how to write items that measure knowledge and its application, how to use appropriate terminology, and how to follow ONCC sensitivity guidelines. What do participants have to say about their experiences with item writing? Thelma Baker, RN, BSN, OCN, said, I wanted to become involved with ONCC, and I enjoy writing and reading. She stressed nursing professionalism in specialty areas as a motivating factor for participating. To continue to grow as a professional, she said, I realized that I needed to make the time and to become involved. I felt that this would be a great starting point to be part of the oncology team. Michael Smart, RN, BSN, OCN, an ONCC News Editorial Board member, also served as an item writer for the OCN test. Smart was slightly uncertain when he first applied in May 2006. I applied, but I really didn t think I was going to be selected, he said. Fifteen OCN s, including Smart, were selected to write test items. The most memorable part of the item-writing process? I was very impressed by the rigorous process all items go through to become accepted items on the exam.... Reminds me a little bit of the School House Rock song I Am a Bill. Smart was surprised at how difficult some of the items were to write. Baker added, A lot of time, thought, planning, and detail go into the making of an oncology certification test. Certified nurses commit time and effort to make the tests a true marker of knowledge and commitment to a profession that is truly great. Could item writing be a volunteer opportunity for you? Watch ONCC News for calls for test item writers in 2007. 4
Employer Spotlight Employers Large and Small Support Certification Mark Flitcraft, RN, BSN, OCN Employers large and small are proving that size doesn t matter when encouraging certification of oncology nurses. Two organizations, one a major cancer center and one a physician-owned practice, have made the commitment to recognize the role of oncology certified nurses in providing cancer care. Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute Oncology nursing thrives at the Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. U.S. News and World Report ranked the James Cancer Hospital, the James, in the top 25 cancer programs in the United States. The James is the only freestanding oncology research and treatment center in the United States and is designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute. Additionally, the James Cancer Hospital practices a shared governance model of nursing leadership and is in the process of seeking Magnet Recognition Program status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). In such an environment, oncology nursing is expected to lead in the nursing field. Jean Just, RN, BC, MSN, director, and Gail Havener, RN, MS, AOCN, staff development specialist in the Department of Nursing, Staff Development, and Patient Education, related some of the many ways that the employer encourages oncology nursing certification. A comprehensive, hospital-based, 11- week review course designed to meet basic oncology certification review criteria, beginning in 2007 National specialty certification differential (3.5% of base salary) Clinical ladder voluntary opportunity for self-promotion at level III (4% base salary increase) and level IV (6% base salary increase) In 2007, the Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute will provide nurses with a comprehensive, hospital-based, 11-week review course for basic oncology nursing certifi cation. Some of the employer s proud certifi ed nurses are pictured here. Oncology certification counts as a component of self-advancement as part of the clinical ladder. The hospital has a goal of increasing its number of oncology certified nurses and is interested in developing ways to celebrate certified nurses and recognize their value. During Nurses Week, targeted activities recognize all nurses, with special recognition of certified nurses. Meridian Oncology Associates Sybil Kamper, RN, BSN, OCN, speaks from experience when she talks about the value that oncology certified nurses add to Meridian Oncology Associates in Mississippi; she has worked with one of the physician owners, John Clay, MD, for 28 years. Kamper, the clinic manager, said that a collaborative spirit in the busy clinic contributes to zero employee turnover among certified oncology nurses. Physician-nurse collegiality is present at the clinic; judgment of oncology certified nurses is sought by the physicians, who often ask, What do you suggest for managing this symptom? All of the seven full-time oncology nurses are certified by ONCC. The clinic sees 100 120 patients daily. All of the RNs in the patient-care environment mix chemotherapy, infuse drugs, and teach patients. Meridian Oncology Associates encourages its nurses to become certified by paying for the examination fees as well as providing a lending library of core curriculum and other review materials. Upon passing the examination, oncology certified nurses are paid a bonus and earn the opportunity to attend Oncology Nursing Society events such as the annual Congress or Institutes of Learning; Meridian Oncology Associates pays salary, travel fees, registration, and lodging. ONCC salutes both of the organizations for recognizing the value and contribution of oncology certified nurses. 5
A New Batch of Employers Support Certification Fifty-two institutions recently were recognized by ONCC for staffing their facilities with oncology certified nurses. ONCC provides recognition plaques free to patient-care settings where the majority (more than 50%) of professional nurses is oncology certified. To apply for a recognition plaque or to request a replacement certificate, visit www.oncc.org/awards/plaques.shtml. Albert Lea Medical Center Mayo Health System, Cancer Center, in Minnesota Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, 4 Northeast Hematology/Oncology Unit, in Berkely, CA Anne Arundel Medical Center, Outpatient Infusion, in Annapolis, MD Arthur G. James and Richard J. Solove Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Ohio State University, Radiation Medicine, in Columbus Boulder Community Hospital, Tisone Cancer Care Center, in Colorado Campbell Health System, Terry George Sisk Oncology Unit, in Weathorford, TX Cancer Care Associates, South Tulsa Cancer Center, in Oklahoma Centegra Health System, Sage Cancer Center, in McHenry, IL Central Maine Medical Center, Hematology/Oncology, in Lewiston Christ Hospital Cancer Center in Cincinnati, OH Christus Spohn Cancer Center, Outpatient Cancer Center, in Corpus Christi, TX Consultants in Blood Disorders and Cancer, Nursing Department, in Louisville, KY Desert Hematology Oncology Medical Group in Rancho Mirage, CA Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chemotherapy, in North Carolina Florida Cancer Specialists in Venice Gainesville Hematology Oncology Associates in Florida Gaston Memorial Hospital, Outpatient Oncology, in Gastonia, NC Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, Radiation Oncology, in West Islip, NY Greenwich Hospital, Bendheim Cancer Center Chemotherapy Areas, in Connecticut Internal Medicine Associates Hematology/Oncology in Bloomington, IN ITA Partners, Inc., Oncology Care Managers, in Philadelphia, PA Jefferson Regional Medical Center, 4 North Oncology, in Pittsburgh, PA Katmai Oncology Group, LLC, in Anchorage, AK Kingsport Hematology-Oncology Associates in Tennessee Los Angeles Hematology Oncology Medical Group in California Los Angeles Hematology Oncology Medical Group in Glendale, CA Loyola University Medical Center, Radiation Oncology, in Maywood, IL MedImmune Oncology, Oncology Nurse Educator Program, in Gaithersburg, MD Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Center for Prostate and Urologic Cancers, in New York, NY Meridian Oncology Associates in Mississippi Naval Medical Center San Diego, Hematology- Oncology Division, in California Northside Hospital Outpatient Infusion Center in Atlanta, GA Northwest Indiana Oncology in LaPorte Oncology-Hematology, PA, in Seaford, DE Piedmont Oncology Specialists in Charlotte, NC Private Diagnostic Clinic at Duke University Medical Center, Surgical Oncology Clinic, in Durham, NC Resource Center for Gynecologic Oncology in Kansas City, MO Rex Cancer Center, Rex Hematology Oncology Associates, in Raleigh, NC Shore Memorial Hospital, Cancer Program, in Somers Point, NJ Shore Memorial Hospital, Radiation Oncology, in Somers Point, NJ South Florida Center for Gynecologic Oncology in Boynton Beach Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, Breast Health Program, in South Carolina St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center, Infusion Center, in Lincoln, NE St. Joseph Hospital, Oncology Center, in Nashua, NH Stillwater Cancer Center in Oklahoma Synergy Health St. Joseph s Hospital, Medical Oncology, in West Bend, IN University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer AnswerLine, in Ann Arbor Wentworth Douglass Hospital, Seacoast Cancer Center, in Dover, NJ West Coast Gynecologic Oncology in Clearwater, FL Wisconsin Cancer Care Associates, Elmbrook Offi ce, in Brookfi eld Wisconsin Cancer Care Associates, Rawson Offi ce, in Franklin Wisconsin Cancer Care Associates, SJRMC, in Milwaukee 23 Nurses Sign on as Advocates More certified nurses have joined the Oncology Nursing Certification Advocates Program to promote the benefits of certification in their workplaces and communities. The newest advocate volunteers follow. Lisa Aiello-Laws, North Cape May, NJ Anna M. Bailey, Wooster, OH Aprill Baker, Vero Beach, FL Lisa Barbarotto, Hamden, CT Luzviminda Bautista, Edgewater, NJ Carol Brueggen, Rochester, MN Carol Chell, Brookings, SD Michael Fritz, Baton Rouge, LA Lynda Lee Garafano, Burlington, VT Anna Giallo-Uvino, New York, NY Sharon LaFever, Baltimore, MD Deborah J. Lee, Houston, TX Debbie Moriarty, Toms River, NJ Corina Nance, Temple, TX Marilyn Omabegho, Somerset, NJ Janet Parrish, Joliet, IL Teresa Pischner, Mount Pleasant, SC Kami Potter, Allentown, PA Judith Strobel, Owensboro, KY Laurie Sturdevant, Houston, TX Angela Tummons, Liverpool, NY Mary B. VanDerhule, Sioux Falls, SD Tamela Williamson, Richmond, VA Advocates are oncology certified nurses who volunteer to promote the benefits of certification in their workplaces, chapters, and communities. Currently, more than 500 certified nurses participate in the program. For a complete list of advocates or an application to join the program, visit the ONCC Web site at www.oncc.org/support/advocates Program.shtml. Renewal Point Value Changes for Continuing Medical Education One hour of continuing medical education (CME) soon will be worth one point toward certification renewal by the Oncology Nursing Certification Points Renewal Option (ONC-PRO). What s behind the change? Previously, a CME hour, which requires 60 minutes of instructional content, was worth 1.2 ONC-PRO points. A continuing nursing education (CNE) contact hour, which required 50 minutes of instructional content, was worth one ONC-PRO point. (See CME, page 7) 6
CME (Continued from page 6) The extra value for a CME hour recognized the difference in the amount of instruction time provided in an hour of CME versus an hour of CNE. However, beginning in 2007, the American Nurses Credentialing Center, one of the largest accrediting bodies for CNE, will require 60 minutes of instructional content for one CNE contact hour. In recognition of the change, which means that the amount of instruction will be the same in one hour of CNE as in one hour of CME, ONCC will award one ONC-PRO point for one contact hour of either CNE or CME. The new ONC-PRO point value for CME will begin in 2007. Renewal candidates should record their CNE and CME points on separate ONC-PRO logs. Electronic logs are available on the ONCC Web site at www.oncc.org/oncpro. A limit exists on the number of points that can be submitted in the CME category. A maximum of 50% (50 points for OCN and CPON renewal candidates, 62.5 for AOCN, AOCNP, and AOCNS renewal candidates) may be CME. If you have questions about certification renewal, visit the ONCC Web site at www.oncc.org/renewal or contact ONCC at 877-769- 6622 (toll free). Pediatric Nurses Group Changes Its Name The Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses (APON) is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a name change. APON now is the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON, pronounced APON). According to APHON President Rita Secola, MS, RN, CPON, Our organization s name change truly reflects and acknowledges the nurses and patients and families we serve. Over the years, the group has increased its educational opportunities, publications, and initiatives on pediatric hematology, recognizing that a majority of its members routinely provide care for children with hematologic and oncologic disorders. The name change will be accompanied by a new logo and redesigned Web site, both to be implemented during the coming months. Learn more at www.aphon.org. When ONCC conducts the next role delineation study of pediatric oncology nursing practice in 2008, hematology will be included. Pending the study results, changes to the CPON examination will be made. Candidates will be notified well in advance of any changes to the CPON examination s content. ONCC News, Volume XX, No. 3, Fall 2006 Readers Respond How Do You Explain the Benefits of Certification to Patients? How can certified nurses make the most of opportunities to discuss certification with patients and families? Tell us what you think. E-mail your response to oncc@ons.org, fax it to 412-859-6168, or mail it to ONCC News, 125 Enterprise Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15275-1214. ONCC Board of Directors Patricia Baldwin, RN, MS, OCN, President Carlton G. Brown, RN, AOCN, Vice President Vicki J. Norton, RN, BSN, OCN, Secretary/Treasurer Ellyn E. Matthews, PhD, RN, CS, AOCN, CRNI Lori Nicholson, MS, MA Julie Ponto, RN, PhD(c), AOCN, APRN-BC Josephine Visser, RN, BSN, OCN Karla Wilson, RN, MSN, FNP, CPON Darla York, RN, BSN, CPON Georgia Decker, MS, RN, CS-ANP, AOCN Pearl Moore, RN, MN, FAAN, Ex Offi cio Cynthia Miller Murphy, RN, MSN, CAE ONCC Committee Chairs Advanced Practice Test Development Tara Stevenson, RN, MS, AOCN Appeals Donna Betcher, RN, MSN, CPON CPON Test Development Lisa Truini-Pittman, RN, MPH, OCN, CPON Nominating JoAnn Coleman, RN, MS, AOCN, ACNP OCN Test Development Tamara G. Barnes, RN, MSN, OCN, AOCN ONCC Mission Statement The mission of the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation is to promote and provide oncology nursing certification for the enhancement of patient care and professional practice. ONCC News Editorial Board Heather Thompson Mackey, RN, MSN, APRN, BC, AOCN, Chair Mark Flitcraft, RN, BSN, OCN Janice Nuuhiwa, RN, MSN, CPON Michael Smart, RN, BSN, OCN National Office Staff ONCC Pearl Moore, RN, MN, FAAN, Chief Executive Offi cer Cynthia Miller Murphy, MSN, RN, CAE, Executive Director Mary Wozny, BS, Certifi cation Operations Manager Pamela Asfahani, BS, Product Manager Janet Marlatt, RN, BSN, MSN, Certifi cation Program Manager Keisha Younger, MBA, Executive Assistant Joyce Mills, Certifi cation Specialist Susan Bachner, Customer Service Representative Christina Mermon, Customer Service Representative Joyce Altenhof, Clerk ONS Publishing Division Len Mafrica, MBA, CAE, Publisher Anne Snively, BS, Managing Editor Mike Minjock, BS, Production Manager Keightley Amen, BA, Copy Editor The Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation was established for the development, administration, and evaluation of a program for certification in oncology nursing. Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation, 125 Enterprise Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 15275-1214 (877-769-ONCC or 412-859-6104, phone; 412-859-6168, fax; oncc@ons.org, e-mail; www.oncc.org, Web site) 7