Pediatric oncology is a dynamic field with ever changing research protocols, chemotherapeutic regimens, radiation and surgical techniques, and ethical consideration for the professionals, families, and the patient. The pediatric oncology nurse is the consistent caregiver serving the patient and family in the inpatient arena, in the ambulatory setting, and in the patient's home. The nurse is called upon to answer questions, assist with procedures, administer therapies, and support the family and child throughout the treatment trajectory. The nurse must remain on the leading edge of knowledge in order to perform these functions. Therefore, continuing education is essential to the ongoing knowledge and expertise of these nurses. The Children's Cancer Group and the Pediatric Oncology Group have combined to form The Children's Oncology Group (C.O.G.). The Nursing Committee of the C.O.G. is sponsoring its first combined workshop to educate nurses caring for children on clinical trials. There has been a long-standing history of successful workshops sponsored by these groups and the C.O.G. Nursing Discipline believes that there should be a continuation of these efforts at least every 18 months. The planned workshop, to be held on April 20th and 21st, 2001 in Chicago, IL will bring together nurses from all over the United States and Canada in order to learn about new protocols, techniques, and research within the C.O.G. Recent improvements in survival after childhood cancer have been achieved with complex multimodal treatment protocols. Unless nurses understand these protocols and have the requisite skills, clinical trials cannot be performed safely and correctly. Achievement of clinical trials' competencies by nurses demands high quality organized and continuous educational effort using a variety of communication channels.
