title: Priority ethical issues in oncology nursing: current approaches and future directions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe ethical issues determined to be highly important to oncology nurses and to discuss strategies by which the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) can address these priority concerns.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey on oncology nurses regarding ethical issues; nursing literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine priority ethical issues of oncology nurses are identified. Past, current, and future ONS activities that address these priority issues are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ONS must support activities to increase the knowledge, confidence, and involvement of oncology nurses in discussions and decision making related to the ethical issues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The top three priority ethical issues for oncology nurses are assisted suicide, end-of-life decisions, and pain management. Efforts should be made to increase ethics expertise among the ONS membership.
authors.affiliation: Seattle University School of Nursing, WA, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ersek
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scanlon
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Glass
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Ferrell
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steeves
mesh_terms: D026688:Bioethical Issues; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D028601:Euthanasia, Active; D006292:Health Priorities / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000639:trends*; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D012956:Societies, Nursing; D014481:United States