The Harbor Herald Greater Baltimore Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society Volume 25 Number 1 March 2014 Inside this issue: President s message Page 1 Members in the News Page 2 Message from outgoing President Page 2 Membership Page 2 Advocacy corner Page 3 Why did I get my BSN? Page 3-4 Spotlight on a Member Page 4-5 ONS, About GBCONS and Chapter Events Page 6-7 President s Message: Trisha Kendall, MS, RN, OCN I cannot believe that my time as President is finally here. When Nancy Corbitt first approached me to consider running for this important office, I laughed. But, as all good mentors do, she didn t give up, and I m glad for that. I am honored to serve our Chapter and our profession in this way for the coming two years. I look forward to helping involve more of our membership in our activities, and help realize the visions of my fellow Board members. We have already begun dreaming about ways to reach out to you and meet your professional needs. But, we need to hear from you. Have you liked our Facebook page? This is a great way to get quick updates on things happening. If you have an event, a celebration, or a question that you d like to post on our page, please feel free to send it in to me. Do you have a special talent or interest that could benefit others in the profession? Please consider coming to our dinner meetings, where we are going to try to increase the networking opportunities. Maybe you had a recent success at work that you could write up for our newsletter. Or, maybe you would be willing to join one of our working groups or committees. Increasing participation and harnessing the many talents that are represented by our chapter is one of my personal goals for the chapter in the coming years. I, for one, am thrilled that our chapter has recently grown to over 450 members due to the change in national s membership model. We are as strong as our membership, so please consider ways in which you can join us and help highlight the many ways oncology nurses made a difference in the lives of others every day! Happy Spring to all of you! Please be in touch at gbcons2014@gmail.com. 1
Members in the News Three of the nurses on the inpatient unit at the University of Maryland Medical Center won a Bachelor s In Nursing Degree Scholarship from ONS Foundation. Way to go Tracey Tate, RN, Chanelle Lake, RN, OCN, and Oluwaseun Osunbunmi, RN! Ashley Przybylski, an oncology nurse for 2.5 years at Johns Hopkins Hospital, won a GBCONS ONS Congress Scholarship Award. She also had a poster accepted this year, titled Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome related to TKI s. Gail Zephyr, an oncology nurse for 6 years at Johns Hopkins Hospital, won a GBCONS ONS Congress Scholarship Award. Congratualtions to Anna Capp BSN, RN, OCN for achieving her OCN certification. A Message from your outgoing President-Nancy Corbitt I am now transitioning from your president to the program coordinator. It is my hope and vision to be able to coordinate some thoughtful, educational and fun programs for you in the future. There will be a short survey monkey link in your email sometime soon to help determine the demographics and geographic of our new chapter and some request for information on your personal preferences for educational programs. Please take five minutes and complete the survey, so that we can try and gear programs to your requests. Speaking of membership, you all know that in July of last year, ONS took control of membership for us. We now have over 400 members. Our only communication with members is via the virtual community on the ONS site. If you or your colleagues have opted out of the third party emails, you will not be receiving our newsletters, updates and program information. Please assist us in spreading the word that to check your ONS profile, opt back in to ensure that you will receive our information. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Membership Karen Oleszewski RN, MS, AOCN Welcome to all our members of GBCONS!! It has been 8 months since national ONS began collecting local dues as part of their membership. We are proud to now be 500 members strong! Please remember to create or update your ONS profile with national. You can do this by logging in to: profile.ons.org. Be sure to supply an email address so you can receive emails from GBCONS re: dinner programs, newsletters, classes, & other events. If I can be of assistance, you can contact me at karenons@gmail.com 2
The Advocacy Corner Trisha Kendall, MS, RN, OCN The 2014 Maryland Legislative Session marked another win for oncology patients! The Kathleen A. Mathias Oral Chemotherapy Improvement Act of 2014 will become law as soon as the Governor signs it. This was a huge success for the oncology organizations, including GBCONS, who have come together to ensure that the similar win in 2012 will reach more Marylanders. This year s legislative effort focused on requiring health insurance plans to cover oral chemotherapy copays as an essential health benefit. CMS had previously recommended that states not consider chemotherapy parity as a mandate, and so, therefore, health plans were not responsible for the costs associated with oral chemotherapy copays. By passing this law, Maryland legislators are sending a strong message to health plans. Every cancer patient should have access to the treatment that is right for him or her, even if that is a prescription pill that patients can take at home. This is a major win for patients. We expect that 60-70% of covered Maryland patients will be affected by the changes we expect to see with the passage of this law, which should begin in January 2015. If you have a patient who needs oral chemotherapy and cannot afford the copays at this time, please take time to research this change. We may no longer need to spend hours finding copay assistance programs for our patients and instead will need to educate them on how to get their health plan to cover the costs. As members of GBCONS, you have lent your voice to the coalition partners (LLS, ACS, MDCSCO, and others) in Annapolis to bring upon this win. I look forward to continued advocacy efforts in the future! ******************************************************************************************** Why did I go back for my BSN? Chanelle Lake RN, OCN My grandfather always used to share stories with me when I was young. He would create these wild stories that always had a moral message. He always stressed the importance of knowledge and education. I was brought up to believe that education was just as important as money. My grandfather would always tell me that no matter what happens in life, if a person were educated they would find a way. His ideas and values have played a very important role in my life. That is why I decided to ultimately go back to school. I also have a 12-year-old daughter who is very smart. She absorbs knowledge and I want to be the best role model for her. I think that showing her that it is never too late to go back to school is a great way to be a positive role model. I want my daughter to understand that learning is an ongoing process that pays off. 3
Another important reason I decided to go back to school was because I became very passionate about my work. Meeting and caring for cancer patients makes you want to learn more about cancer so that you can help fight the war on cancer. My coworkers are very educated and the care we provide to our patients is ground breaking, so it only made sense to further my studies. I want to be a productive member in my team and I feel that furthering my knowledge in nursing will make me just that...productive. ******************************************************** Spotlight on a Member Trisha Kendall, MS, RN, OCN One thing that I enjoy the most about being on the Board of GBCONS is the diversity of our team and our members what a wealth of experience, talents, and life stories. We have been talking about how GBCONS can get more involved in volunteerism and local community events. This member does just that, and so we thought it fitting to talk to her in depth. Meet Sandy Beam, a long-time oncology nurse and community volunteer. Sandy always knew she wanted to be a nurse, even though she spent 11 years in the airline industry, too. That s something you ll have to ask her about at the next dinner meeting! She is the melanoma expert in the research department at Franklin Square, has worked in a stem cell unit, and has experience in med-surg and radiation as well. I m super impressed at her list of publications in scientific exhibits, abstracts, journals, books, and presentations WOW! One major reason she was chosen as this issues member to Spotlight is her long list of community service. She works with Kelly s Dream, the Catonsville Senior Center, John Carroll High School, St. Paul for Girls, and various other groups. I especially love CAMP FACE, a summer camp for children with craniofacial differences. This place just seems amazing, and Sandy works tirelessly to get volunteers to come to the camp each year. I hope you ll consider helping in the future! Check it out at www.campface.org. I got to know a little more about Sandy during this virtual interview. For example, she loves a good beach vacation, her husband is amazing for supporting her through 3 college degrees, she loves gardening and has a new granddaughter, and she is really proud of her education/certification. I d like to share some of it with you in full, so you too will be inspired. I love Sandy s smile the best it is always there to brighten up the room. Thank you Sandy for all that you do for our profession and the community, we appreciate it! What gives you the most joy? Mending, mentoring and connecting people! It is soulful fulfillment and heartfelt satisfaction to have the ability to assist our patients, family members and coworkers understand the complicated processes, side effects, symptom management or medical navigation which is involved in a treatment or therapy. What is the best thing about being a nurse, and also an oncology nurse? I knew from the time I was 16 years old (or younger) that I wanted to be a nurse! While a charting clerk at Maryland General Hospital, the unit nurses could feel my passion and empathy for the patients. I started nursing school when I was 28 years old, and as we did our clinical rotations, I also discovered that oncology was where I was supposed to be. I guess you could say it is a blessing and curse that my oncology nursing expertise and skills have been extremely useful and utilized for many family members and friends. 4
I m really impressed by how active you are in the community why do you do it? I feel very blessed to have a nursing vocation, which provides me with a good income and access to some of the best health care providers in the community. It is my obligation to give back to the community for some of the blessings provided to me. What can other nurses do to help if they don t know where to start? Nurses are the most trusted profession in the world! We are huge advocates for patients and family members, with the power of numbers. Begin by getting involved in a local organization, perhaps to volunteer in a clinic, or at a camp, your church, or community center. PREVENTION remains the key to health, educate others on good basic health practices such as nutrition, hydration, smoking cessation and skin care practices. Can you tell us more about Camp FACE? Camp Face is a not for profit organization started many years ago for kids born with craniofacial deformities and provides a weekend where the kids are free to be themselves without fear of taunting or fear of looking different. I witness these kids, ranging 8-18 years old, act like their peers at activities such as the big dance, where there has even been a few little romances blossom. This is a volunteer opportunity where nurses could help as camp counselors, activity coordinators, photographers, nature walk counselor, or whatever talent they can bring to the table. I love your positive spirit and smile what gives you motivation? Blessings, blessings, and blessings: I am so fortunate to have the life I have. Coming from a family with very little resources, I was always grateful for what I did have: a loving and supportive family. I believe another influencing factor was a childhood accident, at age 4, where I was scalded over 50% of my body and had to spend a very long time in the hospital. When working in oncology there is always someone with much larger problems or issues than you, which makes you realize how few problems you truly may have. Faith, family and kindness help us endure and get through many things in life. Why do you stay a member of GBCONS and what keeps you coming back? I stay a member of GBCONS because of the camaraderie, support, networking and education provided by this great group of nurses. This is by far the best local resource we have to accomplish our goal in providing great patient care. Let s not forget the good food and laughter!!! Can you share some words of wisdom with our members? I believe we are all capable of reaching for and grabbing the stars! The world is your oyster, take a bite. I don t think there is anything that cannot be done, whether by me or anyone else. So I am often known to say, as my grandmother taught me, there is more than one way to skin a cat. Treat each and every person as you would want to be treated, or as you would treat your family. Each and every person is significant and important, regardless of what they do, who they are or how much money they have. No one enters this world alone and should never leave this world alone. 5
New Chemo Handbook Is an Essential Resource for Oncology Nurses Get the latest information on antineoplastic use and patient care when you purchase your copy of the essential chemotherapy resource for cancer care professionals. Newly revised and expanded, the third edition of the Clinical Guide to Antineoplastic Therapy: A Chemotherapy Handbook serves as a vital reference for clinicians at every level from students and novices to the most seasoned nurses and other healthcare professionals involved in the care of patients receiving chemotherapy. Online Resource Offers Evidence-Based Advice on Interventions for Anorexia Visit the Putting Evidence Into Practice (PEP) section of the ONS website for a free, up-to-date resource on interventions for a range of symptoms related to cancer treatment. Check out the entry for anorexia, and browse the entire listing for more. How Much Do You Know About Survivorship Care Planning? March s Oncology Nursing Forum online exclusive discusses the great need for nurse education regarding survivorship care plans. Read more. Webcourse Offers Guidance on Complementary and Integrative Therapies CAM and Cancer Care: What Oncology Nurses Need to Know is designed to provide information about complementary and integrative therapies (CAM) and their use by individuals with cancer. You will gain the knowledge needed to perform assessments, interpret data regarding safe use of CAM, and apply information learned to situations resembling clinical practice. Register now. ONS Seeks an Education Project Manager ONS is looking for a master's-prepared oncology nurse to serve as an education project manager. The position manages the development, coordination, and implementation of education activities and practicerelated resources for the oncology nursing audience. Telecommuting is available to those living outside of Pittsburgh, PA. Apply now. 6
ABOUT GBCONS The Greater Baltimore Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society (GBCONS) is now in its 31 th year. The chapter became a reality in 1983, and is currently 500 members strong. The mailing address is: GBCONS, PO Box 43088, Baltimore, MD 21236. Visit us at www.gbcons.org and Like us on Facebook by searching Greater Baltimore Chapter Oncology Nursing Society! Email Trisha at gbcons2014@gmail.com GBCONS Board of Directors 2014 President Past President Secretary Treasurer Membership Trisha Kendall Nancy Corbitt Sally Brown Gina Syzmanski Karen Oleszewski Directors at Large Peggy Torr Ruth Evans Sally Myers Programs Nancy Corbitt Board meetings are held at Franklin Square quarterly and open to anyone in the chapter. Please consider getting involved in one of our committees! ***** 2014 Chapter Upcoming Events***** April 12 th : Bus Trip May 22 nd: Dinner meeting at Roy s. Immuno-Oncology: Seeking to Transform the Treatment of Cancer Through Immunotherapy Sept. 27 th &28 th: OCN Review Course November 21 st : Basket Bingo @ St. Joseph s in Fullerton, MD +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Volunteer opportunities exist.please think about helping your Chapter achieve its goals! Please send submissions for the newsletter to Carol Perry at carolperry@umm.edu 7