AOSW Connections
Editorial Team
Editor-in-Chief
Amy Colver, MSSA, MA, LISW
Editor
Katherine Easton, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C
AOSW Communications Director
Brittany Hahn, LCSW
Managing Editor
Patricia Sullivan
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To submit a story or information for inclusion in a future issue of AOSW Newsletter, contact Amy Colver or Katherine Easton on the list above.
2025 Themes
February: Workplace & Culture
May: Therapeutic Techniques
August: Palliative Care
November: Caregivers
August 2015
Volume 1 | Issue 4
President's Message
President's Message: Around AOSW
As I was preparing for our annual conference I thought: “I know it is going to be a good conference, but it can’t possibly be any better than last year!” But, dear reader, it was. Set in the gorgeous setting of Seattle Washington, where we were lucky to have beautiful weather the entire time, the AOSW 2015 31st Annual Conference was an amazing experience from beginning to end.
AOSW Conference
2016 Annual Conference: Abstract Submission Center Open
AOSW is now accepting abstract proposals for its 32nd Annual Conference, being held May 4 – 6, 2016 in Tampa, Florida USA.
The theme for the 2016 conference is "Oncology Social Workers: A Safe Harbor in the Storm."
Social Media Report: Posts Bring 2015 Annual Conference To Life
One challenging thing about going to the AOSW Annual Conference is figuring out which of many talks to attend, since they all sound so good and are happening at the same time. Followers on Twitter and those who “like” AOSW’s Facebook page were given a sneak peek by checking out what other people were saying on social media.
Committee Updates
Director's Report: Education
It’s been a year of many changes in education at AOSW. I assumed the role of education director in January 2014 and hit the ground running! I’m proud to start with the jewel in the education crown, our Annual Conference. Both the Baltimore and Seattle conferences were attended by over 500 people! We continue to offer timely, practice and skill building oriented educational sessions as well as ample opportunities to network and connect with colleagues at conference. I know there is nothing more empowering for me than to sit in a room with 500 other oncology social workers who just “get it.” I always leave conference feeling rejuvenated and excited. Thank you to our sponsors and all who attended and presented at our conferences in 2014 and 2015.
Research Report: Highlights From the 2015 Annual Conference
AOSW recognizes the importance of research, and our Annual Conference provides an opportunity for members to learn about the latest developments in oncology social work research. Here are some of the highlights presented at the 2015 Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington.*
Director's Report: Communications
We have been thinking a great deal lately, in AOSW's leadership group, about this question: Do you feel connected to the organization? As I near the end of my term as Communications Director, I find myself wondering whether or not we actually framed the question the right way. Is connection something you value, knowing that it means, on some level, a two-way relationship? Oncology social workers know a lot about self-care, teaching it to others all the time, and two-way streets require time and commitment. Who has time these days, and who still has energy for commitment? We are leery and guard our energies, for the sake of self-care. Maybe a good question then, for the curious, is to ask me how I'm feeling.
Education
Director's Report: Education
It’s been a year of many changes in education at AOSW. I assumed the role of education director in January 2014 and hit the ground running! I’m proud to start with the jewel in the education crown, our Annual Conference. Both the Baltimore and Seattle conferences were attended by over 500 people! We continue to offer timely, practice and skill building oriented educational sessions as well as ample opportunities to network and connect with colleagues at conference. I know there is nothing more empowering for me than to sit in a room with 500 other oncology social workers who just “get it.” I always leave conference feeling rejuvenated and excited. Thank you to our sponsors and all who attended and presented at our conferences in 2014 and 2015.
SIG Updates
Blood Cancer SIG: Leaders in Building Capacity - Advocating for the Role of BMT Clinical Social Workers
Several members of the Blood Cancer (formerly BMT) Special Interest Group (SIG) have been busy participating in the System Capacity Initiative (SCI), led by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) /Be The Match®. The SCI is a collaborative effort across a broad group of stakeholders in the field of blood and marrow transplantation. Its goal is to determine how our health care system is going to adapt and grow to support the ever-growing number of patients in need of blood and marrow transplant (BMT). In 2009 and 2010, workforce groups (WGs) were convened for physicians, advanced practice professionals, nurses and pharmacists (Denzen et al., 2012).
Research
Research Report: Highlights From the 2015 Annual Conference
AOSW recognizes the importance of research, and our Annual Conference provides an opportunity for members to learn about the latest developments in oncology social work research. Here are some of the highlights presented at the 2015 Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington.*
Book Review
Book Reviews: Self-Care, Compassion, Stress
The environment we oncology social workers work in has become increasingly stressful, much of the infrastructure to nourish our professional selves has faded, and we are asked to be ever more innovative, doing more with less. We have played a major role in defining standards for measuring the levels of distress in our patients. What has been given less attention is the distress levels that we as professionals experience, working in this often hostile environment, and the kind of active participation it takes to apply self-care as well as participate in improvements within the system.
Kudos
Kudos! Achievements of AOSW Members
Greetings to new and longstanding AOSW members! This is my first Kudos column as Membership Director. I am already sure that writing this article will be my favorite responsibility. The way I see it, our members are our biggest resource and we can learn about leadership, program planning, research and many other essential oncology social work skills when we share our successes.