Finding Future Leaders – and a NICHE in Nursing

By Maureen Shawn Kennedy, AJN editor-in-chief

It has been a hectic few weeks, as I’ve been traveling to the early spring nursing meetings (with still more to come).

With John Gransbach at NSNA meeting With John Gransbach at NSNA meeting

First I went to Charlotte, North Carolina, to attend the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) annual meeting (April 3–7). AJN has had a long association with the NSNA, supporting it in various ways since its 1952 founding, from hosting board meetings at AJN offices to producing the convention newsletter to convention scholarships for key contributors. In recent years, we’ve sponsored travel expenses to the annual meeting for the winner of Project InTouch, the member incentive plan. This year, the winner was John Gransbach, who graduated from the Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College in St Louis. He recruited 228 new NSNA members—an achievement certainly worth recognizing.

Future leaders. As I told the audience when I presented the plaque to Mr. Gransbach, this award isn’t just about growing membership in the NSNA—it’s about contributing to the future of the profession. Students who join the NSNA are already demonstrating a commitment to nursing by going beyond what’s required of them. They’ve joined an organization that provides considerable resources to help them begin their careers. Not only does it provide practical help with passing the NCLEX exam, writing a resume, and finding a job, but it informs them about what it means to be […]

2018-03-28T10:34:13-04:00April 15th, 2013|nursing perspective, students|0 Comments
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Future Nurses Have Their Say

By Maureen Shawn Kennedy, AJN editor-in-chief

I spent part of last week in Pittsburgh, attending the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) annual meeting. This one was special—the 60th anniversary of the organization.

Despite the celebratory air (not only because of the anniversary, but because the organization had exceeded its membership goal of 60,000 members), the 2,700 attendees seemed very serious about the work of the organization and about learning skills to help them in their careers—there were few slackers in this crowd.

The approximately 500 students who represented their states in the house of delegates dealt with some 40 resolutions, on such diverse topics as increasing awareness of the effects of third-hand smoke on children to supporting the “BSN-in-10” movement (a push for legislation requiring all new nurses to get bachelor’s degrees within 10 years).

For me, the best part is meeting future nurses and speaking with them about career plans. I met many students in the exhibit hall, where I was demonstrating AJN’s new iPad app. Unlike last year, when jobs seemed to be scarce, many of the seniors I spoke with this time around had already secured jobs—and those who hadn’t seemed confident they would.

Finish this sentence . . . I asked several of those about to start their nursing careers to finish the following sentence: “I’m excited about starting my nursing career because . . .” You can listen to their comments in this short podcast.

 

2018-03-28T10:37:45-04:00April 17th, 2012|career, students|0 Comments
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Friday Round-Up: When ‘Natural’ Isn’t ‘Safer,’ A Student Nurse Summit, a Walking Crisis, Chronicity

Please pardon the relative quiet of this blog this week. All our in-house and far-flung occasional correspondents are otherwise engaged, it seems. Blame the nice weather, if it’s nice where you are. Our editor-in-chief, Shawn Kennedy, is in Pittsburgh at the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) convention. She’s presenting this afternoon (I think) on the new AJN iPad app, among other things (no, we don’t yet have one for the Kindle, but that may be on the way).

Shawn should have an update on her adventures with the next generation in nursing sometime early next week. So for now, almost entirely avoiding nursing news and health care reform, here are a few items of potential interest:

The Respectful Insolence blog, in reminding us that “natural” doesn’t always mean safer, points to an AFP article that highlights research drawing a connection between a widely used herbal remedy and the unusually high incidence of urinary tract cancer in Taiwan. Says the AFP article,

A toxic ingredient in a popular herbal remedy is linked to more than half of all cases of urinary tract cancer in Taiwan where use of traditional medicine is widespread, said a US study Monday.

Aristolochic acid (AA) is a potent human carcinogen that is found naturally in Aristolochia plants, an ingredient common in botanical Asian remedies for aiding weight loss, easing joint pain and improving stomach ailments.

While the FDA issued an alert about products containing this […]

2016-11-21T13:10:19-05:00April 13th, 2012|students|2 Comments
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Nurses, Summits, and Salt Lake: The Challenges Facing New Nursing Grads

By Shawn Kennedy, AJN editor-in-chief

I’m attending the National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA) annual convention, in Salt Lake City, Utah. I always gripe about meetings here—but then I arrive and realize I’d forgotten what a beautiful place it is. For one thing, there are the mountains rising up behind the cityscape—everywhere you look, there they are. (The photo here was taken from the plane as it was approaching Salt Lake City.)  There’s something really relaxing about these views.

I always enjoy this conference—I love meeting the future generation of nurses. This year’s group—about 2,400 strong—are enthusiastic, passionate, and serious about a career, not just a job. Many are people who’ve already been in the workforce. According to figures from the NSNA about the attendees, 47% are 26 or older, 22% are 36 or older, 52% will be graduating from baccalaureate programs, and 93% plan to continue their education. Impressive statistics.

Yesterday’s keynote speaker was Patrick Hickey, a professor at University of South Carolina–Columbia School of Nursing, who has summited the seven highest peaks in the world. He spoke about the challenges of his climbs, especially Mount Everest, where he spread the ashes of a friend who was supposed to have been with him. It was fitting—here, with mountains all around us, and with many in the audience facing their own uphill […]

2016-11-21T13:13:35-05:00April 7th, 2011|Nursing|7 Comments
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What Matters to Today’s Nursing Students?

By Shawn Kennedy, MA, RN, AJN interim editor-in-chief

I just came back from the NSNA (National Student Nurses Association) convention in Orlando. What a crowd!  There were over 3,500 attendees, mostly nursing students and some faculty. And contrary to what one usually thinks of students on spring break, this group was serious and focused. Some impressions I took away from the meeting:

2016-11-21T13:18:16-05:00April 12th, 2010|students|1 Comment
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