ONS Connect - July 2008 - (Page 17)

CapiTOLCONNECTiON ONS Members Learn About Health Policy Advocacy in DC [By ilisa Halpern Paul, MPP, ONS Health Policy Associate] I n March, 12 ONS members traveled to Washington, DC, to participate in the Nurse in Washington Internship (NIWI) Program. NIWI—hosted by the Nursing Organizations Alliance (NOA)— is held annually to bring together representatives of NOA member organizations to learn about health policy, advocacy, and ways in which nurses and their national organizations can influence public policy. The three-day program included a panel presentation of nurses who are leaders in health policy advocacy; an advocacy 101 training by Washington, DC–based government relations professionals; a panel discussion of Congressional staff who provided participants with the do’s and don’ts of visiting Capi- tol Hill; and a full day on Capitol Hill, during which participants met with their elected officials and discussed issues of concern and priority to them and their national nursing organizations. In addition to the regular NIWI program, ONS participants received a special briefing by ONS health policy associates to learn about the 2008 ONS health policy agenda, review the specific issues that ONS has prioritized for Congressional action this year, and receive ONS health policy and advocacy materials to support their efforts on Capitol Hill and back at home. During their meetings on Capitol Hill, ONS NIWI participants requested that members of Congress provide increased funding for federal nursing workforce programs and cancer research, support legislation to provide coverage of cancer treatment e d u c a t i o n f o r Ilisa Halpern Medicare ben- Paul, MPP eficiaries (H.R. 5585), and enact legislation to grant the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products (S. 625, H.R. 1108). ONS members were well received by their elected officials and garnered commitments for support. To learn how you can support ONS’s health policy program and apply for the 2009 NIWI program, visit www.ons lac.org. ✱ ADVERTISEMENT Advancements in Chemotherapy Administration Give Nurses—and Patients—Peace of Mind dvancements in device technology are making a difference for millions of healthcare workers who mix and administer chemotherapy drugs. Nurses, in particular, are exposed to hazardous chemicals via interactions with plastic equipment and tubing, chemical leaching, spills, and vapor exposure. Furthermore, because hazardous drugs are compounded in areas adjacent to patients, inappropriate environmental containment puts them, as well as nurses, at risk. In response to the need for increased safety and compliance, ONSEdge, Inc. is partnering with ICU Medical to promote new advancements in safety for the prepara- A tion, transportation, administration, and disposal of hazardous medications. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and U.S. Pharmacopeia 797 have published guidelines for the safe delivery of chemotherapy. They recommend the use of specialized IV equipment to help protect healthcare workers and patients from exposure to chemotherapy agents, reduce the risk of blood-borne pathogen exposure through needle sticks, and protect the integrity of drugs. In response, device manufacturers have developed new options to make chemotherapy administration as safe as possible. ICU Medical offers products that guarantee compliance with needlefree policies in oncology settings, ensure no transmission of infectious agents to patients, help prevent thrombotic occlusions of catheters, and prevent accidental loss of chemotherapy agents and/or exposure of patients or workers to hazardous materials. For more information on how ONSEdge is working with ICU Medical and to learn more on the only hazardous drug containment system that address the continuum of care, visit www.ONSEdge .com or www.icumed.com. July 2008 17 ONS CONNECT http://www.onslac.org http://www.onslac.org http://www.ONSEdge.com http://www.icumed.com http://www.ONSEdge.com

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ONS Connect - July 2008 Contents Editor's Note Just In Technologic Advancements in Cancer Care A Year in the Life - Month Seven Web Connect Capitol Connection Notice Nursing Now Caregiver Care Computerized System Standardizes Symptom Assessment and Management Nanotechnology Treats Cancer at the Atomic Level Rise in Mastectomies May Be Linked to Increased Use of MRI Detection Working for You Calendar of Events Staying on Top

ONS Connect - July 2008

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