Oncology Nursing Foundation Increases Support for Oncology Nurses During Global Pandemic

(December 1, 2020) PITTSBURGH - The Oncology Nursing Foundation has increased its support of oncology nurses by awarding 16 additional master’s-level scholarships during a year when many are experiencing economic hardship. In total, this brings the Foundation’s investment in academic scholarships to more than 100 recipients and $461,000 in 2020 for those who are advancing their careers in caring for patients with cancer.

Earlier this year, the Foundation awarded 86 academic scholarships for bachelor’s, master’s-, and doctoral-level professionals studying the field of oncology nursing. “I am incredibly honored and appreciative of the Oncology Nursing Foundation awarding me this master’s degree scholarship,” said Naureen Ismail, BSN, RN, OCN®, of Houston, Texas. “My goal is to obtain my degree and practice as a family nurse practitioner with a focus on the care of oncology patients. I hope to be able to use my 25 years of expertise as an oncology nurse to help facilitate prevention and early detection and educate my patients taking the cancer journey on evidence-based treatment options.”

The Foundation also allocated $120,000 in additional funds from its endowment to support a North Carolina–based cancer nursing research project. Tara A. Albrecht, PhD, ACNP-BC, ACHPN®, of Duke University School of Nursing in Durham, was selected to lead an interprofessional team in a research study entitled, “Testing a Nurse-Led Evidence-Based Exercise Program to Improve Patient-Reported Outcomes in Adults with Acute Leukemia.”  Albrecht was awarded this funding through the Foundation’s competitive research grants program. In total, the Oncology Nursing Foundation has allocated more than $500,000 in 2020 for nurse scientist–led major cancer research projects.

The Oncology Nursing Society created the Oncology Nursing Foundation in 1981 to accept charitable contributions to advance these important activities on behalf of oncology nursing. The mission of the Oncology Nursing Foundation is to support oncology nursing excellence.

Thanks to the generosity of individuals and institutions, the Oncology Nursing Foundation has awarded more than $28 million in funding since its inception for oncology nursing education, research, and leadership development, giving nurses the opportunity to pursue excellence in delivering care to patients with cancer. For more information or to donate to the Oncology Nursing Foundation, visit www.onfgivesback.org.

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Media Contact
Nicole Lininger
nlininger@ons.org