SDONS...Welcome to 2014!
...A professional organization with a personal touch....
As we look toward Spring, 2014, here are assorted announcements, reminders and news....Our monthly meetings bring us together to learn from our speakers about oncology topics, but also to learn from one another as we discuss our practices. ONS, as you know, has included your yearly local dues in the national dues you pay. So as of January, 2014, our SDONS roster has now expanded to315 members. We hope with our e-newsletter that members who cannot come to meetings still are aware of our activities and opportunities to learn and network
Below are highlights about all things SDONS, aswe head into Spring, 2014:
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Save the Date: March 26, 2014, 6 p.m., SDSU (room TBA),....Our annualpanel presentation, firstheld in Spring 2012 before SDSU students and guests about oncology nursing as a career, will be held again! Paula Muehlbauer, coordinator of the event, reminds us to save the date and participate!:
SDONS will again be collaborating with SDSU CSNA for an oncology educational seminar for nursing students throughout the county. This time we will focus on a Integrated Medicine. After the main panel.attendees really want to hear from us on how we got into oncology nursing, how to we stay energized and refocus and what we like about oncology nursing!
If you are interested in helping with the event and/or sharing your story, please contact Paula at , A light dinner will be provided courtesy of SDONS. (Our preliminary target guest list is 100 attendees.)
Notes from our annual January Board Retreat:
Our annual SDONS Holiday Vendor Faire in Dec. raised more than $1000 from our raffle fundraiser. The proceeds go towardSDONS scholarships. A huge round of applause and thanks go to Meloddie Neel Brooks and her team for coordinating a spectacular evening to celebrate our chapter and our valued vendor and pharmaceutical representatives. Check out our Photo Gallery below, featuring our many, many raffle winners. Raffle winners sang their favorite holiday carol or correctly answered a question from a special SDONS quiz..
The2014 Vendor Faire is scheduled Thurs. Dec. 4, so mark your calendar.This annualevent welcomes SDONS members, potential new members and our supportive community of industry friends and sponsors. Our Faire gets better every year...with a special focus on the auctionof donated baskets and gifts, towardbuilding our SDONS scholarship funds.
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Here are more announcements andreminders about our chapter…
This year consider nominating a colleague for a NationalONS Award: Check out all the awards (and the deadlines to nominate): In general, the deadline to submit forONS awards is September 30, 2014.
Certification: We are interested in continuing to boost and celebrate certification of our members. Please send an email to , letting us know about your oncology certification (if you haven't already contacted us). If you haven’t been certified yet, this year is a great time to get it done!During 2014 the fraternal group, the Free Masons, will continue to offer scholarship support toward oncology certification for California nurses.Go to more information.
SDONS Support of Scholarships:As in the past, during 2014 our local chapterwill have a drawing four times this year for eight $400/each scholarships: Drawings will be held during the monthly meetingsin February, April,August and October. The next scholarship drawing will be held at ourFebruarymeeting. To enter the drawing, current SDONS general members can send an email--by the Tuesday before the Thursday meeting--to . In your e-mail, tell us what you would like to do with your scholarship if you win. We will draw two names at themeeting. Winners need not need be present at the meeting to win the scholarship. (Limit: One scholarship win per year.) To be reimbursed the scholarship monies, receiptsmust be submittedto the Treasurer within one calendar yearfrom winning your scholarship. Also to receive your scholarship check, submit abrief article about your learning experience for the SDONS e-newsletter (to Ellen Carr, ).
In addition to oursupport of the eight $400-scholarships for non-SDONS Board members, there are professional development scholarships of $500 for each SDONS Board and Leadership Team members. These scholarships were created to encourage all SDONS members to participate on the SDONS Leadership Team. With more SDONS members involved in chapter leadership, leadership succession planning occurs! Receipts and an e-newsletter article must be submitted to receive the scholarship monies. NOTE: Board members are not eligible for the eight $400/each scholarship drawings.
As we continue through 2014, it's time to review and remind you aboutour monthly chapter dinner No Showpolicy.We'veposted the policybelow so you can review it. Please know our policy so that all SDONS members have the opportunity to attend our dinner meetings...and we can berespectful of the generosity and commitment of our steadfast dinner sponsors.
SDONS and the Leadership Team:
it's never tooearly to consider participating in leadership of our chapter, either by serving as an officer, chairing or contributing your time and talentsto a committee, orbeing part of short-term team, focused on a particular SDONS-related project. To get involved in our chapter, contact us through our yahoo e-mail: . Our Nominating chair, Jane Underwood,also wants to hear from you, especially about running for an SDONS officelater this year.Her contact e-mail:
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SDONS Officers and Commitee Chairs (Leadership Team)
Your 2014 SDONSLeadership Teamis here to serve our membership. We welcome your ideas and participation. 2014 SDONSLeadership Teammembers include:
President- Amy Nance-Thompson
President elect- Meloddie Neel Brooks
Treasurer- Eva Bariuan
Secretary- Kelly Bass
Program chair- Leah Marquardt
Membership chair- Sandi Weyerhaeuser
Community Outreach and Student Development chair- Paula Muehlbauer
Nominating chair- Jane Underwood
Fundraising chair - Dawn Huckabone
e-Newsletter- Ellen Carr
New Technologies Communications chair- Christine Izzo
Past president- Laura Spriggs
(To contact members of the SDONS LeadershipTeam, reach them at . See belowa photo of the 2014 SDONS Leadership Team (taken at the Annual Retreat in Jan. 2014.)
2014 SDONS Board and Leadership Team Members*******************************
CEUs and Educational Opportunities...
Oncology nursing classes and courses offered in 2014 are posted on the SDONS virtual community site: Also check out the regularly-posted ONS Connect publication:39th Annual ONS Congress, May 1-4, 2014, Anaheim.Link to Congress website: Congress early registration deadline:Mar62013. (Save $100 toward registration!) For more info:
Remember that ONSoffersnumerous on-line, conference and course opportunities for CEUs. Go to or more information.
SDONS Colleagues, Q&A #1
CharrySagoninterviews Erika Bahena
1. Where do you work? Kaiser Permanante
2. What is your favorite thing about being an oncology nurse and what brought you to oncology nursing? Build up relationships with the patient and getting to know them well.
3. What do you like best about the San Diego chapter of ONS? Programs cover pathophysiology of every disease process; explanations of how drugs work.
4. What is your favorite activity that has nothing to do with oncology or nursing? Love to spend lots of time with the family outdoors.
5. Tell us one surprising thing about you that most people here don't know.At 15, I didn't know English. Now I am very fluent!
SDONS Colleagues, Q&A #2
Linda Clements interviewed byChristineIzzo(above):1. Where have you worked? Sharp Memorial, Genentech and Johnson & Johnson
2. What is your favorite thing about being an oncology nurse and what brought you to oncology nursing? I did an externship in oncology in nursing school and was drawn to the character of the patients in oncology and how special and unique they were. I have been practicing in oncology for 31 years.
3. What do you like best about the San Diego chapter of ONS? What are your reasons for belonging? Networking; Seeing other oncology nurses and what they are doing.
4. What is your favorite activity that has nothing to do with oncology or nursing? Traveling, wine tasting and spending time with good friends.
5. Tell us one surprising thing about you that most people here don't know:In 1996, I was in Atlanta during the bombing at the Olympic Park Plaza.
SDONS No-Show Policy(for our Dinner Meetings)
(SDONS Leadership Team reviews and re-endorses the No-Show policy: Jan. 2014)Once a SDONS dinner meeting is announced with invitation sent out, RSVPs to the dinner meetingsare tracked by the Chapter Secretary. The RSVPs are compiled into a list. Once the maximum number of seats are filled, a WAIT LIST is compiled. Each member is notified by email whether they have a seat at the dinner meeting or are placed on the WAIT LIST.
If you find you need to cancel--and it is the day of the meeting--please text or email your name and the reasonyou are cancellingto the Chapter Secretary ((858) 442-5432; ) or Membership Chair ((619) 851-3198; ). This will allow your seat to be offered to a member on the WAIT LIST.
If you truly have a last minute emergency, you must text or email the Chapter Secretary or the Membership Chair immediately to notify us of your cancellation so you are not considered a no-show.
The first time a member no-shows,he/she will receive a reminder email from SDONS regardinghis/her failure to cancel. Included in the email will be the no-show policy as a reminder.
If a member no-shows a second time within 6 months, the memberwill be placed on WAIT LIST-only status. This means that any RSVP from this member goes directly to a WAIT LIST. Seating for this member will be on a space-available- status....after all members in good standing have had the opportunity to RSVP. Once the member shows responsibility--to either attend the meeting as RSVPd or cancel promptly--thememberwill regain the privilegeto RSVP for dinner meetings.
Three or more no-shows will result in the SDONS member no longer being eligible for scholarship drawings.
This policy addresses those members who repeatedly send in their RSVP and then fail to show for the dinner meeting. It is not meant to punish the member who has that rare emergency situation (within an hour or two of the meeting) that precludes them from attending the meeting.The SDONS Leadership Team has establishedthe NO SHOWpolicy to reinforce professional and courteous behavior--not only to fellow SDONSmembers but also the pharmaceuticalcompanies (gracious sponsors of ourdinner meetings), theirreps who coordinate the dinner meetingand speakers, who cometo share their professional knowledge with us.
Additional reminder: During our dinner meeting presentations, all members and guests should be courteous...stopping side conversations and remembering to mutetheir cell phones. At the very least, our speakers deserve our undivided attention and our dinner sponsors warrant respect for their support.
SDONS 2013 Leadership Team (above)+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Photo Gallery:Holiday/Vendor Faire, 2013:
Raffle winner Katie O'Brien and Sandi Weyerhaeuser
Our ugly holiday sweater winner, Courtney Nelson (notice photo bomb in background...)
Jennifer Byrne, raffle winner...
Leah and Olga....
....members caught celebrating the season...
TressaPetzingera winner!
Dennis Kim receives raffle prize from Christine Izzo
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Miscellaneous news & calendar items...
Feb. 20, 2014, 6 p.m.: SDONS Dinner meeting:Topic: Survivorship in Multiple Myeloma
Speaker: Leslie Lauderman, Clinical Educator
Sponsor: Onyx Pharmaceuticals
Location: Vintana Wine & Dine
1205 Auto Park Way Escondido, CA 92029
Cross Street: I-15 Freeway
(760) 745-7777
RSVP by contacting Our SDONS secretary will email response to you, confirming your seat bySun Feb 16.
In accordance with PhRMA guidelines, this meeting is for healthcare professionals only.
If you voted by Jan. 31 in the 2014 ONS National Election, remember to bring your ballot confirmation that you voted(sent to you on e-mail) to the meeting. With that documentation, you can enter a raffle at the dinner for a $50 gas card.
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April 2, 2014. Special Dinner Presentation
Topic is "Understanding Mylefibrosis: A Perspective for the Advanced Oncology Nurse".
Morton’s The Steakhouse
The Harbor Club
285 J Street
San Diego, CA 92101
Sponsor: ONS Edge and Incyte
To register, go to
Seats are limited!
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Our future 2013 SDONS Leadership Team meetings are scheduled Wednesdays--March 12, May 7, July 9 (subject to change), September 3 and November 5--at 6:00 p.m.atAmyNance-Thompson'shome. All SDONS members are welcome to attend. ContactAmy for details and directions.
2014 ONS Congress, Anaheim, California: May 1-4.Early bird registration: by March 6. For more information, County chapter has contacted SDONS, requesting volunteers to help withCongress. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Carolyn Rondouat . Volunteer opportunities include:
Tues. (Prior to Congress): Stuffing participant bags
Wed. (Pre- Congress): Room monitors, scan-n-go area
ThursthroughSat:Room monitors, Scan-n-go area, Local chapter table
Sun: Room monitors
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Consider participating in cancer-fundraising walks.SDONS Leadership encourages all SDONS chapter members to participate in at least one fitness-related fundraising event in 2014 for a cause you want to support. Here are a few events to mark on your calendars:
- The Undy 5000, Mar. 8, 2014
- Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Walk the Night, Nov. 7, 2014, Petco Park.
- Susan G. Komen 3-day, Nov21-23, 2014
2013 Gracia Award Winner:Laura Spriggs...
(NOTE:The Gracia Award, named in memoryof Gracia Juarez, a past SDONS Secretary, is given to an SDONS member whorepresents integrity,leadership skillsand personal growth--nurtured by involvement inSDONS and clinical oncology practice. The 2013 award was presented at the December 2013 Vendor Faire to Laura Spriggs, our 2013 SDONS president. (Photo above shows SDONS presidentAmy Nance-Thompson presenting Laura with the Award plaque.)Laura writes:I was honored to be chosen for the 2013 Gracia Award. I started my nursing career as a nursing assistant on a telemetry unit while I was in nursing school, and worked for a year and a half doing night shift to get through school. My senior semester, I worked on a labor and delivery unit as a scrub-tech, thinking I wanted to work in the OR. Luckily, after graduating and working in the ICU, I was floated to an oncology unit, where I fell in love with oncology patients.
Doing travel nursing in oncology and 6 years later, I landed back home in San Diego, and came to one of the SDONS dinners. I remember being impressed with the organization, the leadership, and thinking that maybe, just maybe, I could be president of the chapterone day. Jennifer Alisangco TschanzwasSDONS president at the time, and I had worked with her at UCSD. She asked if I would be the Program Chair, which I was glad to accept.
Being ProgramChair was my first experience volunteering on the SDONS Board (Leadership Team), and I am glad I did. I met so many nice members and vendors, and I felt more connected to the oncology community than ever. With SDONS's encouragement, I was electedPresident of the chapter! Winning the Gracia Award was the highlight of my year! Thank you to each of you as you encouraged, challenged and supported me up to this point. I am excited to see who will win the Award next year.
From Oct. 2013 meeting, at the Prado, Laura Spriggs, Ellen Carr and Kelly Bass
Mystery ladies....Can you identify them?if so, enter our "IDYour SDONS Colleague" Raffle.E-mail your guess (both ladiesidentified)to . (NOTE: Our two Ladies cannot guess themselves....) Raffle prize is a surprise! We'll let you know....
From Jan, 2014 meeting, Olga Garcia, Monsie Mitchell, Meloddie Brooks and Isaac Frangie
Raffle winner Carolyn Scott
Raffle winner Isaac Frangie
Christine (our Elf) delivering raffle prize to Freci Portugal...
Francie, Laura, Amy and Meloddie...
Raffle winner Art Berg with Elf Christine Izzo
Raffle winner Margo Jaurequiand Christine, Izzo (Elf)
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Raffle winner Francie Mercado
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Joan Kitson-Hart
SDONS is the local chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society. It is committed to promoting quality cancer care through nursing research and education and community service. The SDONS meetings, in general, are scheduled every 3rd Thursday of the month. Annually, SDONS provides approximately $5,000 in educational scholarships and awards to oncology nurses.
For more information about SDONS, please contact .
And to submit articles, announcements or photographs for the SDONS e-newsletter, contact Newsletter Editor Ellen Carr at .
Copyright © 2014
San Diego Oncology Nursing Society (SDONS)