Orlando, Florida - Patient navigation is among the fastest growing profession in the healthcare field today, with the average navigator being on the job less than five years. Helping to advance this field and the education of its members is the Academy of Oncology Nurse and Patient Navigators (AONN+), the world’s largest professional society for oncology navigators.
From September 18 – 21, more than 600 AONN+ members gathered in Orlando for the organization’s Fifth Annual Navigation and Survivorship Conference. Presentations over the four days were packed with valuable insights and novel ideas, and offered the opportunity to interact, share best practices, and discuss cancer treatment trends and challenges. Some of the hottest topics in navigation were discussed during the conference, including:
- Best practices in cancer patient navigation
- Commission on Cancer standards
- Personalized cancer therapies
- Complementary cancer therapies
- Genetic testing
- Patient assistance programs
- Survivorship planning
Conference attendees received continuing education units (CEU) for many of the sessions. They also received an update regarding AONN+’s progress since its inception in 2009. Today, AONN+ boasts more than 5,000 members and 21 regional and state chapters.
Awards presented during the conference included the Fourth Annual Oncology Nursing Excellence™ (ONE) Award – which was presented to Jessica Engel, DNP, APNP, of Marshfield Clinic in Stevens Point, Wis. ONE Award winners are nominated by their peers for their leadership, compassion and commitment to evidence-based practices.
To celebrate the innovation of its members, AONN+ presented five Best Practices awards, which recognize navigators who have implemented novel initiatives to support patients with cancer. Categories included: Community Outreach, Survivorship, Quality Improvement, Patient Education and Reducing Disparities.
More than 60 posters were presented during the conference. Six of these received top honors in the following categories: Patient Education; Psychological Support; Quality, Outcomes, and Performance Improvement; Original Research on Navigation Programs; Original Research on Survivorship Programs; and Community Outreach and Screening Programs.
In addition to oncology nurse and patient navigators, conference attendees included oncology social workers, case managers, oncology nurses, nurse practitioners, practice managers and physicians.
The Sixth Annual Navigation and Survivorship Conference will be held in Atlanta, October 1 – 4, 2015.
About the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (http://www.aonnonline.org)
The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, Inc. (AONN+) is the largest national specialty organization dedicated to improving patient care and quality of life by defining, enhancing, and promoting the role of oncology nurse and patient navigators. The organization, which has more than 5,000 members, was founded in 2009 to provide a network for all professionals involved and interested in patient navigation and survivorship care services in order to better manage the complexities of the cancer treatment process.
The Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship (http://www.jons-online.com) is the official publication of AONN+. It is published six times a year and features topics related to patient navigation and survivorship care. JONS offers original research, best practices, interviews, case reports and study highlights as well as a platform through which navigators can share research and views on navigation and survivorship issues.
