Ethics SIG Application

Remember, as an ONS national member, you are entitled to one free SIG membership. To join an additional SIG, please complete and return the following application:

SIG Membership Application

The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) is a national organization of more than 33,000 registered nurses and other healthcare professionals dedicated to excellence in patient care, teaching, research and education in the field of oncology. A prime goal of ONS is to provide a network of peer support and exchange for oncology nurses. To do so, ONS introduced a formal structure of Special Interest Groups (SIG) to facilitate networking of members in an identified subspecialty area. The Ethics SIG was established in 1989.

Ethics SIG Mission Statement

Oncology nursing exists to provide optimal care to persons with an actual and/or potential diagnosis of cancer. Therefore, the mission of the Ethics SIG of the Oncology Nursing Society is to promote excellence in oncology nursing by:

• promoting the highest professional standards and ethical conduct in oncology nursing;
• studying, researching and exchanging information, experiences, and ideas on ethical issues, leading to the achievement of quality of ethical cancer care;
• encouraging nurses to specialize within the practice of oncology nursing and the field of ethics to ensure the nurses' involvement in these areas;
• fostering the professional development of oncology nurses, individually and collectively in the area of ethics to promote evidence based use of ethics in practice;
• enhance an organizational structure that is responsive to the changing needs of Oncology Nursing Society members of the Ethics SIG and thereby maintain vitality in the SIG.

Goals

• Promote knowledge development regarding ethics.
• Facilitate nurses' use of ethics in practice.
• Conduct a needs assessment survey to evaluate the impact of the Ethics SIG on its membership and to develop future goals for the Ethics SIG.
• Encourage the conduct of oncology nursing research related to ethical issues to develop the knowledge base that promotes the achievement of quality ethical cancer care.
• Facilitate participation of ONS members in the Ethics SIG to maintain SIG vitality.

Activities

The Ethics SIG is fulfilling its goals through several activities, i.e., submission of topics for presentation at ONS educational events and submission of articles for publication consideration in the ONS News and Oncology Nursing Forum. A yearly survey of SIG members aids the SIG in setting future goals. SIG members participate on ONS Advisory Panels and Project Teams.

Benefits/Communication

The SIG meets once per year during the ONS Annual Congress. Ethics SIG leaders regularly communicate with members through written communiques and through a newsletter. The newsletter features discussion of ethical dilemmas, timely articles related to ethical issues in cancer care, announcements of educational events, and reports on SIG projects and activities.

Membership Requirements

All SIG members must be members in good standing of the national Oncology Nursing Society. ONS members receive one free SIG membership. Additional SIG memberships are $15 each.