Save the Date: OCCNS General Meeting, Jan. 14
Anyone educated as a CNS and CNS students are invited to the Winter 2025 General Meeting of the Oregon Council of Clinical Nurse Specialists (OCCNS)/National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) Oregon Affiliate on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, 6 - 7:30 p.m. via
Microsoft Teams or phone:
Click here to join at that time.
- Meeting ID: 220 750 395 835
- Passcode: v6xK3Rt2
- Dial in by phone: +1 347-506-4546 Conference ID 297921516#
- For trouble connecting, text or call Sandra Bunn, 801-648-3824
Please join us for a brief business meeting followed by an invigorating education session by four panelists on the topic of "Clinical Nurse Specialist Opportunities Outside of Employment: Limitless!"
One contact hour of education will be available after attendance and completion of the program evaluation.
For more information, please see the Meeting Flier or contact an OCCNS Board member. We look forward to your participation!
Please forward this website to colleagues who may be interested in this or future programs. Ask them to send us their email addresses so we can keep them informed.
Thank you,
OCCNS Executive Board Ann Busch, Sherri Atherton, Sandra Bunn
Click here to see meeting flier, including the agenda.
ONA and ANA Benefits for OCCNS
The Oregon Council of Clinical Nurse Specialists (OCCNS) is a special interest group of the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA). All members of ONA who are clinical nurse specialists are members of OCCNS. Membership in ONA also includes membership in the
American Nurses Association (ANA) and all the benefits that entails! By joining ONA/OCCNS you have a voice to advance CNS practice statewide and nationally.
Significant outcomes of OCCNS and ONA:
- Lobbied and obtained Oregon legislation for CNS title protection and full practice authority in the 1990s.
- Worked with Oregon State Board of Nursing on regulations to make Oregon CNSs among the 1st in the U.S. to achieve full practice authority.
- Created pathways for Oregon CNSs to obtain credentialing and privileging in their employment organizations. This included the option for prescriptive authority.
Click here for more information on the benefits of membership in ONA and OCCNS, as well as the ANA benefits.
Peer Support and Networking
OCCNS members have unique peers support and networking opportunities through in-person or virtual meetings and social events with other CNSs in Oregon.
Online Continuing Education
OCCNS members have free access to OCEAN, an online/on-demand learning environment that provides continuing education opportunities in a convenient and user-friendly format. OCCNS meetings usually also provide a one hour education topic with CEUs.
Conferences and Events
As an OCCNS member you receive discounted registration rates for the various events such as the NW Regional CNS Conference.
- NW Regional CNS Conference, Nov. 9. This conference was for all Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) and RNs.
Legislative and Practice Advocacy
ONA engages with members of the Oregon Legislature, the Oregon State Board of Nursing, and other regulatory bodies to address future issues that may impact your practice.
ONA Government Relations staff and volunteers advocate for CNSs and their patients. As leaders and members, we connect with community partners, elected officials, and other health care organizations.
Advocacy work in Salem and during elections helps achieve policy goals and support Oregon’s CNSs interventions at the patient, nursing, organizational, and state level in order improve patient outcomes.
News and Updates
...click here to view archived news and updates
Executive Board
- Chair: Ann Busch, MS, APRN, CNS-PP, ACNS-BC, CWOCN, FCNS, FAAN
- Immediate Past Chair: Sherri Atherton, MS, APRN, CNS-BC
- Chair Elect: vacant
- Board Position 1: Sandra Bunn MSN, CNS-PP, ACNS-BC, BC-ADM
- Board Position 2: vacant
Click here to contact the board.
ONA Staff Liaison
- Therese Hooft at hooft@oregonrn.org
About OCCNS
OCCNS is a special interest group of ONA that was established in the early 1980’s as a group in which practicing clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) in Oregon could share information, influence practice, participate in relevant legislation and education,
and address issues and challenges to their practice. Since it’s beginning, OCCNS has successfully obtained recognition for CNSs in the state by the Oregon State Board of Nursing (1999), and obtained prescriptive and dispensing privileges for CNSs
who need them (2007). In addition, OCCNS is an affiliate of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) thus offering a setting in which members of NACNS can link to state-level CNS activities and issues.
