Meet Jean Moseley, ONS Charter Member and New Legacy of Care Society Member

Jean Moseley, MN, RN, joined the Oncology Nursing Foundation’s Legacy of Care Society by arranging a gift for the benefit of future generations. She earmarked funds in her will to create the Jean and Steve Moseley Fund, which will provide educational and career development support for aspiring oncology nurses. The fund will honor the Moseleys’ legacies of caring for patients with cancer in their respective practices as an oncology clinical nurse specialist and surgical oncologist. The fund also honors Jean as a charter member of the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) and her caring commitment to supporting oncology nurses.

Jean told us more about her nursing history and shared her inspirations for creating a legacy for oncology nursing.

What led you to the field of oncology nursing?
I began my nursing career following graduation from my baccalaureate program in June 1973. I was fortunate to be hired to work on a medical unit in a large metropolitan hospital that included hospitalized patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy, recovering from side effects of treatment or disease, or receiving end-of-life care. I fell in love with the challenge and complexity of caring for patients with cancer and their family. I was hooked on oncology nursing and still am, two years into retirement.

When did you first get involved in ONS?
As a young, enthusiastic nurse, I was interested in learning all I could about the care of patients with cancer. Fortunately, nurses across America were beginning to network and share best practices about the particular needs and concerns of patients with cancer. I attended my first ONS meeting in Denver, CO, in May 1977. About 200 nurses attended that meeting, and the excitement about sharing their experiences was palpable.

What is a favorite memory as an ONS member?
One of my early memories from ONS involved serving on a committee that created guidelines for the first ONS chapters. We were scheduled to meet in Pittsburgh, and because I lived on the West Coast, my flight left early in the morning. I was the last committee member to land in Pittsburgh before they closed the airport because of a snowstorm. All three members from the West Coast made it to Pittsburgh, but the other two members were stopped in Chicago. Because we were determined to get the job done, we decided to move the meeting to Chicago instead. With the airport still closed, we left at 2 am and drove through the snowstorm in a rented car. I believe we arrived in Chicago with about 10 minutes to spare from the original meeting start time, thanks to the time change. We shared the driving and kept each other awake by telling stories, both personal and professional. We managed to complete our task, and ONS chapters became a reality.

Your legacy plan includes support for ONS Congress^™ scholarships for oncology nurses. Why was this important for you to recognize?
I loved attending ONS Congress. From hearing our leading nurse scientists report their latest research, to learning about new options for symptom management, to small group discussions about specific topics of concern, the entire experience was always pertinent. Of course, my best memories involve visiting with old friends and making new ones. I always left ONS Congress exhausted, exhilarated, and anxious to return home and implement practice changes.