EONS Newsletter October/November 2019

Hundreds of cancer nurses from all over Europe gathered at the Fira Conference Centre in Barcelona at the end of September for a fantastic experience – learning new skills, hearing about the latest developments in practice and research, sharing experiences and helping shape EONS’ future plans. The EONS Cancer Nursing Track focused on the theme of ‘Cancer nursing, translating science into clinical practice and better safety for all’ and many of those attending told us they couldn’t wait to get back to their places of work and start implementing new ideas and fresh approaches. You can see more photos on the EONS website and the forthcoming EONS magazine will report on many of the key speakers.

EONS12 saw the EONS presidency transfer from Dr Lena Sharp to Dr Andreas Charalambous from Cyprus who will lead EONS for the coming two years. Andreas thanked Lena for all her outstanding work and deep commitment to moving cancer nursing forward during her presidency. He then set out the many exciting plans he has for the directions our organisation will take under the inspiring heading, “Together We Can and We Will”. He explained the need for EONS to improve collaboration with the existing membership and attract new members, to forge closer links with other international Nursing Societies, to engage directly with key stakeholders such ESMO and ECCO, and to take our message to the general public as well as patients. Andreas also detailed the ways in which EONS can move the RECaN project forward, develop certification for cancer nurses and become a leading nursing organisation. It’s going to be an exciting two years!

EONS has launched a Survey on Patient and Occupational Safety. Cancer nurses play a pivotal role within the multi-professional team in the safe delivery and management of cancer therapies. Nurses who come into contact with cytotoxic agents during preparation, administration, nursing care and cleaning are at risk of exposure. Current practice and guidelines for occupational safety and access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are variable between countries and organisations. As a part of EONS’ strategic work on patient and occupational safety, we are collecting information from European cancer nurses to gain knowledge on all aspects of occupational safety. The anonymous data from this survey will be analysed and presented as a report. Your contribution will be extremely valuable for our future work on safety for nurses and patients in cancer care – please take a few minutes to complete this survey.

The EONS GUIDANCE – Cancer Therapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting combines the latest evidence with a practical approach and is designed to help cancer nurses better understand the mechanisms and effective management of all aspects of cancer induced nausea and/or vomiting. The English language version brochure can be downloaded from the EONS website. (Translations will also be available in due course.)

EONS has designed a new free mobile application – the ProsCApp – to help cancer nurses assess and address the unmet needs of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer according to the latest evidence-based assessment tools and management interventions. You can download the Prostate Cancer App (ProsCApp) free now.
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We are also excited to announce that the third edition of the target educational programme was introduced at EONS12. Target give nurses a greater scientific understanding of targeted therapies including immunotherapy and other novel agents. Keep an eye on the website for applications for this resource to open.

At EONS12, EONS welcomed Amanda Drury (pictured) as our new Young Cancer Nurse (YCN) representative on the EONS Board. This position now has full voting rights, reflecting the importance that EONS puts on young cancer nurses in our organisation and as the future of the profession. EONS thanked Sara Parreira for all her hard work in establishing this role. Sara also received the ‘RECaN Award: Recognising European Cancer Nursing’ to mark her outstanding contribution.

*The first YCN event organised by UKONS in the UK has taken place in London, to provide an opportunity for networking and learning. A total of 46 YCNs attended the study day, mostly from the London area, but also from as far as Northern Ireland. The main focus was the development of YCNs as speciality nurses, as well as the progression of cancer services and treatments in the UK. Subjects included the challenges for YCNs in the UK, research in action, developments in cancer care and the integration of palliative care. The feedback was incredibly positive and the aim is to run workshops once or twice a year in different locations to optimise access. A YCN Facebook page was set up following the event for support, discussion and networking, and is open to all.

The Masterclass in Oncology Nursing programme is designed for European advanced cancer nurses as a multi-professional joint event. Five intensive days of full immersion in up-to-date cancer care will create a collective spirit of teaching and learning to improve clinical skills and patient care. The Masterclass aims to prepare cancer nurses for future senior roles and enhance their clinical knowledge in the management of the cancer patient during all phases of the cancer journey. It takes place in Seva (Barcelona area) from 23-28 March 2020.

The European School of Oncology (ESO) has pioneered the concept of live online sessions for cancer professionals. These e-sessions include debates, conference highlights, teaching sessions and more. Some e-sessions are hosted in collaboration with EONS, and these tend to be of great relevance to your nursing practice. Don’t miss this fantastic learning opportunity. You can check out what’s coming up +  View all EONS e-sessions
And, if you miss an e-session, you can catch up later by watching a recording. The e-ESO site has an extensive archive of recorded sessions from the past year, all available for free.
+  View all recorded e-sessions
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On 1 October, MEPs put questions to Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner-designate for Health, to test her competences and expertise related to this portfolio. Ms Kyriakides introduced a One Health policy approach to deal with the challenges she identifies as being of utmost importance: food safety, antimicrobial resistance, access to innovative medicines, civil society and cancer. She stated that 40% of European citizens will face cancer or be touched by the disease, which is why it remains a top priority. She also stressed the need to implement a modern and more robust legislative framework for medical devices to improve patient safety and strengthen the EU's role in digital health. EONS President Andreas Charalambous has expressed his wish to collaborate with his compatriot Ms Kyriakides to promote a safety culture and achieve better outcomes for patients and healthcare professionals across Europe.

A new survey conducted by the Central and Eastern European Cancer Action Group (CEECAG) has found severe shortcomings in managing cancer incidence in Central and Eastern Europe, whose “young brains” increasingly move to the west. In an interview with Euractiv, Professor Mark Lawler, from the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, said there are “cancer inequalities” in Europe as well as differences in relation to outcomes. The gaps range from the existence or implementation of National Cancer Control Plans (NCCP) to cancer registries and research. For example, according to Dr Lawler, 90% of Europe’s western countries have NCCPs compared to only 54% in central and eastern Europe.
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Hundreds of nurses from around the world have attended an online discussion, hosted jointly by the International Council of Nurses (ICN), Nursing Now and the World Health Organization (WHO), about the State of the World’s Nursing report, which is due to be published in April 2020. The report will include data about individual countries to provide a snapshot of the global state of the nursing workforce. It will be used to influence policymaking decisions on healthcare in years to come and will be part of the legacy of the 2020 Year of the Nurse and Midwife.

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The ECCO 2019 European Cancer Summit took place from 12-14 September bringing together delegates from cancer care, research, patient advocacy and public-private sectors in a unique multi-stakeholder forum. The Summit passed a resolution on Human papillomavirus (HPV) cancer elimination. Developed together with several ECCO member societies and a large network of interested organisations and experts, the Summit resolution reads: 'By 2030, effective strategies to eliminate cancers caused by HPV as a public health problem should be implemented in all European countries’. Emma Woodford and Andreas Charalambous also participated in a session with the oncology pharmacists and surgeons on how to obtain EU recognised specialist qualifications for our professions.
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In collaboration with EONS, The Association of European Cancer Leagues’ (ECL) Patient Support Working Group (PSWG) has produced a very useful guide on how patients can themselves improve their communication with healthcare professionals, entitled ‘It’s Your Consultation’.

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21-22 November 2019
3rd European Head and Neck Society workshop
on Robotic Surgery in Head and Neck
London, UK
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18-22 September 2020 
ESMO Congress
Madrid, Spain
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18-19 November 2020 
ECCO 2020 Summit
Brussels, Belgium
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