PHILADELPHIA - In conjunction with its 40th Biennial Convention in late October, the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) will present its prestigious 2009 Computer-Based Public Education Technology Award to Carolyn Vachani, RN, MSN, AOCN.
Vachani is being honored for her leading role in the creation of OncoLink’s Cancer Survivorship Care Plan. This free service allows cancer survivors, their families and health care providers to create an individualized plan of care including information on potential aftereffects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, fertility guidance and recommended screening guidelines.
The award recognizes individuals or groups who have promoted innovative and creative approaches of knowledge building, synthesis, utilization and dissemination through advanced technology to further the nursing profession and the health of the public in either practice or education.
“It is an honor to have a project that I have worked so hard on, recognized by my colleagues as an important contribution to the education of cancer survivors,” Vachani says. “In addition, this project is for and about improving the lives of cancer survivors, and will be a powerful vehicle to bring much needed survivorship information to the nursing community in all specialties that provide care to these survivors.”
Vachani received her undergraduate degree from West Chester University and her Masters degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She has worked in the areas of medical hematology and oncology, bone marrow transplant, clinical research, radiation therapy and staff development. In her current role, she serves as the nurse educator for OncoLink, the Abramson Cancer Center’s award-winning cancer information website, which receives an average 3.9 million page views a month. She serves as the project leader in the development and maintenance of the LIVESTRONG Care Plan, a partnership which was launched in the spring of 2009 to bring the OncoLife™ survivorship care plan to more cancer patients around the world.
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