July 2004 Volume 13, Issue 3 Other SIG Activities and Coordinators Teach Valuable Lessons Paula M. Muehlbauer, RN, MSN, OCN® Coordinator, Targeted and Biological Therapies SIG I assumed the role of coordinator for the Targeted and Biological Therapies SIG during the ONS Annual Congress this year. Therefore, I attended the SIG Leadership Orientation Workshop the day before Congress started. I attended it last year for then-Coordinator Peg Esper, RN, MSN, CS, NP, AOCN®, so I wasn’t sure what to expect or whether any new information would be offered. I was wrong! I learned so much this time around from other SIG coordinators and their SIG activities. In fact, we have formed collaborative relationships to cosubmit Congress and Institutes of Learning (IOL) topics and share newsletter articles that might be of interest to one another’s SIGs. SIG leaders also shared their expertise about various SIG activities that might be of interest to ours. I think people attend this workshop with a different attitude, realizing that they will be the “real” coordinators, not the coordinators-elect. At least, I know that I did. I took this newfound enthusiasm to the annual SIG business meeting to share with our members. We had a good group, albeit a small one. However, the folks who attended the meeting are nothing short of dynamos. Debbie Parchen, RN, BSN, OCN®, our newsletter editor, successfully recruited coeditors and received commitments for contributions to future newsletters. Peg Esper, MSN, RN, CS, AOCN®, agreed to maintain our Virtual Community page, as well as work with me on developing a panel of experts for the page. Special thanks to Marilyn Haas, PhD, RN, CNS, ANP-C, coordinator of the Radiation SIG, for her guidance in getting the process started. We have cosubmitted topics for Congress 2005 with the Chemotherapy SIG, the Radiation SIG, and the Nurse Practitioner SIG. Next on the list: IOL submissions. Speaking of IOL, we plan to host a hospitality suite for a SIG meet-and-greet in Nashville, TN, for IOL 2004. We already have obtained permission from ONS National and plan to use the time to meet other current or potential Targeted and Biological Therapy SIG members who could not make it to Congress or the business meeting. This will be open to anyone who wishes to see what our SIG is all about. My goal will be to continue to cultivate membership. We are looking for a coordinator-elect and a nominee for the Excellence in Biotherapy Nursing Award. I have sent out a communiqué and am waiting for replies. We always are on the lookout for new ideas to improve our SIG’s activities and function. Joining a SIG that has members who know each other well can be intimidating. Hopefully, people with good ideas will feel free to voice them and other interested members will feel comfortable to join and get involved. Back to July SIGnal home page The SIGnal is a quarterly e-newsletter published by the Oncology Nursing Society for special interest group leaders.