Betsy Love McClung
Endocrine Nurse Development Award

Betsy Claire (Williams) Love McClung RN, MN     

December 14, 1942 – September 10, 2015

Betsy was a native Oregonian, born in the town of Bend, raised between Oregon and Washington State, educated as an undergraduate at the University of Oregon School of Nursing and as a post graduate at Oregon Health & Science University.  She undertook her master’s degree as the mother of 2 children while coordinating educational activities for clinic nurses at the University Hospital in Portland. In the mid 1980’s she co-founded and served as associate director of the Oregon Osteoporosis Center in Portland alongside Dr. Michael McClung.

Betsy was a founding member of the Endocrine Nurses Society and the first Education Chair for the inaugural nurse symposium in 1991.  This was held in Washington DC in conjunction with the 73^rd annual meeting of the Endocrine Society.  She served as President of the Endocrine Nurses Society, on the Executive Board of Trustees of The North American Menopause Society, and on the Board of Directors for The Paget Foundation.  She created, and for 20 years chaired, the Annual Meeting Highlights at the American Society for Bone & Mineral Research.

She was passionate about managing patients with osteoporosis and authored several book chapters and numerous scientific publications.  She was an inspired educator and presenter with a quick intellect, who was known nationally and internationally.  

Betsy is remembered for her humanity, her optimism, her contribution to the education of patients and care providers and for her amazing smile.  Betsy Love McCLung embodied leadership, scholarship, vision, enthusiasm, courage and determination to extend the knowledge and role of endocrine nursing, particularly in the care of patients with osteoporosis. 

The vision of the Endocrine Nurses Society is to “promote excellence in the clinical care of patients through advancement of the science and art of endocrine nursing”.  This vision is exemplified by Betsy Love McClung.

This scholarship, supported by the generosity of Dr. Michael McClung and family, is to be awarded to an endocrine nurse who demonstrates these qualities, an individual who continues to lead the development of endocrine nursing knowledge and contribute to the art and science of the care of patients with endocrine disorders.

Cook, D.J., Guyatt ,G.H., Adachi ,J.D., Epstein ,R.S., Juniper, E.F., Austin, P.A., Clifton ,J., Rosen, C.J., Kessenich, C.R., Stock,J.L., Overdorf.J,. Miller ,P.D., Erickson, A.L., McCLung,M.R., McClung ,B.L., Griffith,L.E., Ioannidis, G. (1999). Development and validation of the mini-osteoporosis quality of life questionnaire (OQLQ) in osteoporotic women with back pain due to vertebral fractures. Osteoporosis Quality of Life Study Group. Osteoporos Int. 10(3):207-13.  PMID: 10525712

McClung, B. & McClung ,M.(2001). Pharmacologic therapy for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. Nurs Clin North Am. Sep;36(3):433-40, viii. Review.  PMID: 11532658

McClung, B.L. (1999).Using osteoporosis management to reduce fractures in elderly women. Nurse Pract. Mar;24(3):26-7, 32, 35-8, passim; quiz 48-9. Review.  PMID: 10100240

McClung,B.L.(2001). Reducing your risk of osteoporosis. Nurs Manage. Apr;Suppl:4-5, 8. No abstract available. PMID: 15103829

Gold ,D.T.,& McClung ,B. (2006).Approaches to patient education: emphasizing the long-term value of compliance and persistence. Am J Med. Apr;119 (4 Suppl 1):S32-7. Review. PMID: 16563940