[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 30, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5535-S5536]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING ONCOLOGY NURSING MONTH--MAY 2003

 Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
oncology nurses. May is the ninth annual Oncology Nursing Month. The 
celebration kicks off on Thursday, May 1, 2003, on Oncology Nursing 
Day, during the opening ceremonies of the Oncology Nursing Society's 
28th Annual Congress in Denver, CO, and continues until May 31, 2003.
  Oncology Nursing Month recognizes oncology nurses, educates the 
public about oncology nursing, provides an opportunity for special 
educational events for oncology nurses, and celebrates the 
accomplishments of oncology nurses.
  The Oncology Nursing Society, ONS, is the largest professional 
oncology group in the United States composed of more than 30,000 nurses 
and other health professionals. It exists to promote excellence in 
oncology nursing and the provision of quality care to those individuals 
affected by cancer.
  As part of its mission, the society honors and maintains nursing's 
historical and essential commitment to advocacy for the public good. 
ONS was founded in 1975, and held its first Annual Congress in 1976. 
Since the society was established, 218 local chapters have been formed 
to provide a network for education and peer support at the community 
level.
  In my State of California, there are more than 2,515 oncology nurses 
and health professionals who care for individuals with cancer and their 
families. In addition, California has 18 local Oncology Nursing Society 
chapters including the areas of Pacific Grove, Fresno, Brentwood, 
Lompoc, Simi Valley, Palm Springs, Greater Los Angeles, Redding, 
Sacramento, Colton, Chico, Lodi, Orange County, San Diego, San 
Francisco, Santa Clara, Sonoma County, and Lakewood.
  Over the last 10 years, the setting where treatment for cancer is 
provided has changed dramatically. An estimated 80 percent of all 
Americans receive cancer care in community settings including cancer 
centers, physicians' offices, and hospital outpatient departments. 
Treatment regimens are as complex, if not more so, than regimens given 
in the inpatient setting a few short years ago.
  Oncology nurses are on the frontlines of the provision of quality 
cancer care for individuals with cancer. Nurses are involved in the 
care of a cancer patient from the beginning through the end of 
treatment. Oncology nurses are the frontline providers of care by 
administering chemotherapy, managing patient therapies and sideeffects, 
working with insurance companies to ensure that patients receive the 
appropriate treatment, and providing counseling to patients and family 
members, in addition to many other daily acts on behalf of cancer 
patients.
  With an increasing number of people with cancer needing high quality 
health care, and an inadequate supply of nurses, our Nation could well 
be facing a cancer care crisis of serious proportion, with limited 
access to quality cancer care.
  I was proud to support the passage of the ``Nurse Reinvestment Act'' 
in the 107th Congress. This important piece of legislation expanded and 
implemented programs at the Health Resources Services Administration, 
HRSA, to address the multiple problems contributing to the nationwide 
nursing shortage, including the decline in nursing student enrollments, 
shortage of faculty, and dissatisfaction with nurse workplace 
environments.

[[Page S5536]]

  I commend the Oncology Nursing Society for all of its hard work to 
prevent and reduce suffering from cancer and to improve the lives of 
those 1.3 million Americans who will be diagnosed with cancer in 
2003.

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