ONS Connect - November 2008 - (Page 21)

CAPITOLCONNECTION Your Advocacy Efforts Make a Difference [By Leslie Greenberg, RN, MSN, OCN ®, ONS Health Policy Manager] O NS’s advocacy efforts experienced a small step toward victory in July when the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to pass the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (H.R. 1108). The bill, passed by a vote of 326 to 102, would permit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate the production, sale, distribution, and marketing of all tobacco products. ONS members were vital in advocating for this legislation. ONS activates its membership in two ways. The first is grassroots advocacy through ONStat, the ONS electronic grassroots network. ONS provides you with resources so that you can call, e-mail, or send letters to your elected officials, with the focus of effectiveness being on quantity. For H.R. 1108, an ONStat alert was sent asking you to call your Congressional representatives and ask them to vote for the legislation. I heard from many of you who called and were favorably received. Your calls do make a difference. The second type of advocacy is called grass tops, when ONS health policy leaders work to develop close working relationships with elected officials and their staff with the focus on the quality of the relationship. For the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, State Health Policy Liaison Carla Brutico, RN, OCN®, reached out to her senator, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), to ask him to bring the bill up for a vote in the Senate. Through her outreach, we learned that Reid is supportive of the bill. Unfortunately, at this time, Leslie Greenberg, RN, MSN, OCN ® Congress has adjourned and may not return this year. Because of the economic crisis, the Senate did not have a chance to vote on the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act before adjourning. However, both presidential candidates have expressed support for this bill, so we have strong hope for the future. The victory in the House of Representatives paves the way for future successes. Change is realized: Your advocacy efforts do make a difference in the lives of patients. ✱ Submit Your Abstracts Now for the 2009 ONS Congress The 2009 Congress planning team wants to hear from you! Abstracts are currently being accepted for the ONS 34th Annual Congress, April 30–May 3, 2009, in San Antonio, TX. The deadline for submission is Tuesday, January 13. Abstract presentations are focused on the areas of administration/leadership development, clinical/evidence-based practice, education, and research study. Selection of abstracts will be based solely on blind peer review. Abstracts may be selected for presentation in podium or poster sessions. Abstracts must be of the author’s own completed work or work in progress. They may or may not have been presented previously at the local or regional level. The primary author must be an RN, licensed healthcare professional, or doctorally prepared individual and consent to be the contact person. The scoring criteria for submitted abstracts are based on significance, background, a clearly defined purpose, measurable goals, clear presentation, and cutting-edge innovation. Need help preparing an abstract? Do we have a program for you! The idea of submitting an abstract for Congress can be intimidating, and many questions about the process and structure may arise. Through the ONS Mentorship Program for Abstract Writers, novice abstract writers are partnered with experienced mentors to help guide them through the process. For more information, call +1-866-257-4ONS or e-mail education@ons.org. Visit www.ons.org for more details about the abstract guidelines, review process, and the abstract mentoring program. November 2008 ONS CONNECT 21 http://www.ons.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ONS Connect - November 2008

ONS Connect - November 2008 Contents Editor's Note Just In Lean on Me You Tell Us A Year in the Life-- Month Eleven Put Evidence Into Practice to Manage Caregiver Strain and Burden Web Connect Capitol Connection Caregiver Care New Technique Monitors Patients with NSCLC Calendar of Events Working for You Staying on Top

ONS Connect - November 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.