News

We’re excited to announce that abstract submission for the 28th Annual CNSA Congress, to be held in Perth, 17–19 June 2026, is now open.

Thanks to everyone who joined the 2025 Cancer Nursing 101 series! Your participation, questions and engagement made it a vibrant learning community. If you haven’t had the chance yet, now’s a great time to dive back in, catch up on missed sessions, and get ready for 2026.

We’re excited to share that our next CNSA Mentoring Program is just around the corner — with applications opening in mid-January 2026 and only 20 places available for early-career cancer nurses across Australia.

Looking to complete your Post Grad qualification in Cancer Nursing? The McGrath Foundation is offering 15 individual scholarships to the wider cancer nursing workforce to support the completion of a Graduate Certificate in Advanced Clinical Nursing - Cancer Nursing, offered at Monash University.

CNSA is proud to announce the launch of a new Gastro-intestinal Cancers Community of Practice (CoP), developed in partnership with Bowel Cancer Australia, Pancare Foundation, and the Gastro-intestinal Cancer Nurses Network (GICaNN).

Don't miss out on our next Rare Cancers CoP meeting with respected bioethicist and public health scientist, Dr Evie Kendall, as she uncovers Challenging Conversations in Unfunded Therapy.

Although asbestos use was banned decades ago, the legacy of exposure continues to emerge in our hospitals and cancer care settings. November is Asbestos Awareness Month - a timely reminder that asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis remain very real health concerns.

To improve the care and experience of older people with cancer across Australia, an Optimal Care Pathway (OCP) is now available to ensure older patients receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place. The OCP is a framework for the delivery of consistent, safe, high-quality, and evidence-based care for older people with cancer, covering every step from prevention and early detection through to recovery, living with a chronic disease, or end-of-life-care.

Our State Groups work incredibly hard to deliver meaningful and accessible education. In the past month, we've covered 12 locations across four dinners, with popular hybrid events in SA and QLD delivering for regional and remote areas. From melanoma to brain cancer, and colorectal to lung cancer, these recent events created real opportunities to learn from one another, connect locally, and share experiences.

The Australian Government has launched the National Cancer Data Framework, marking a major step forward in improving accessibility, consistency and comprehensiveness of cancer data in Australia. Developed by Cancer Australia in partnership with Cancer Council Australia and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the National Cancer Data Framework sets the strategic direction and priorities for collecting, managing and using comprehensive cancer data.

Notice is hereby given that an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia Ltd will be held as above. The purpose of this meeting is to consider and, if thought fit, pass an ordinary resolution to extend the terms of office for three current Directors by one year to restore the intended rotational cycle and ensure governance continuity.

CNSA’s podcast, Nursing Excellence in Cancer Care, continues to shine a light on the expertise and innovation that defines our profession. To build on its impact, we are launching a new initiative - member-led podcast reviews -and we’d love you to be part of it.

For some people, their career path is clear from the start. For others, it takes a little time to find the right fit. For Justin Hargreaves, it turned out to be nursing - and then, very quickly, cancer care.

CNSA, in collaboration with the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) is developing a Position Statement on the Role of Nurses in Cancer Survivorship Care. We are now seeking feedback from members on the draft statement. Your voice is essential to ensure this reflects real-world practice and the needs of our profession and the people we care for.

Last week, CNSA CEO Jemma Still represented our organisation at NEXT Australia, bringing an important message to industry leaders: to improve patient outcomes, nurses must be engaged early, valued properly, and invested in meaningfully.

Read this Message from the President for important updates on how we are tracking against our Strategic Plan, our investments, and future focuses.

CNSA is delighted to welcome Dr Pammie Ellem RN MN PhD CDec as our new Education Manager. A respected leader in cancer nursing education, research and practice, Pammie brings a wealth of experience that will help us expand our continuing professional development (CPD) offerings and strengthen education pathways for cancer nurses across Australia.

Sometimes, mums really do know best — even if it takes us a while to admit! Though nursing wasn’t her first choice (despite her mum’s encouragement), Nicole is now an accomplished cancer nurse, researcher, and leader who wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Australian Government is proceeding with changes to Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) telehealth items for nurse practitioners (NPs), aligning them with the eligible telehealth practitioner criteria used for other health professionals. These changes will take effect from 1 November 2026.

Have you submitted yours yet? EOIs for the Pre-Congress Symposiums (full-day and half-day) and Concurrent Sessions for the 28th CNSA Annual Congress are now open.

We’re thrilled to be heading back to Perth for the first time since 2015! Join us from 17 - 19 June as we bring the best of cancer nursing to the West Coast, while also learning from the incredible expertise of local clinicians and researchers.

Did you know that CNSA members can access 100+ recorded webinars anytime—covering survivorship, supportive care, toxicity management, treatment advances, and more? These recordings are perfect for lunch-and-learns, team catch-ups, or self-paced study.

Over the past 18 months, CNSA, in collaboration with the University of Wollongong, has delivered the Principles and Practices of Difficult Intravenous Access (DIVA) micro credential courses across the country. With a deliberate focus on improving equity of access to educational opportunities for cancer nurses, CNSA has focused on reaching nurses in regional and remote areas who often face barriers to attending hands-on professional development.

Good news for nurse practitioners and patients: PBAC has recommended expanded prescribing in cancer care. Read the President’s update for what this means, highlights from CanForum, and an invitation to join our Rare Cancers Community of Practice on 19 September to keep the advocacy conversation going.

We are pleased to share good news for nurse practitioners (NPs) and their patients. At its July 2025 meeting, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommended expanding the prescribing scope for NPs in oncology and haematology.

At our recent CNSA Breast Cancer Community of Practice meeting, members came together with Marisa Stevens and Jenny Gilchrist to unpack the latest insights from the Breast Cancer Trials Conference and explore their relevance for nursing practice.

This year, we invited cancer nurses around the country to share how they celebrated Cancer Nurses Day by posting a photo with the hashtag #CancerNursesDay for the chance to win a team morning or afternoon tea (valued up to $500). We were blown away by the creativity, spirit, and pride shown across all the entries.

Our CEO, Jemma Still, reflects on her 2025 Cancer Nurses Day experience including site visits, an open discussion with the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, and hosting the live Q&A with nursing leaders. Cancer Nurses Day was an incredible success, and we hope you felt celebrated, seen, and valued – because you are.

Applications are open now, and we encourage all eligible members to consider applying — whether you’re looking to explore a novel idea, develop new models of care, or test an intervention that could be scaled nationally. This year, we have a combined $60,000 funding available for CNSA members to undertake research that advances cancer nursing practice and improves outcomes for people affected by cancer.

Happy Cancer Nurses Day from all of us at CNSA!