PARK HILLS –- Four Mineral Area College (MAC) nursing students recently attended the 71st National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA) Annual Convention, held April 12-16, 2023, in Nashville, TN.
The theme of the convention was “A Catalyst for Change,” and that’s exactly what MAC delegates Jacob Baker and Alicia Williamson did while presenting their resolution, entitled “In Support of Raising Awareness for Suicide Assessment in Post-COVID Patients.” The duo successfully explained to the house of delegates how important the resolution was for promoting better patient care, which resulted in a vote to pass the resolution.
MAC Nursing Professor, Esther Blum, MSN, RN, says presenting a resolution is an important way to enhance the student experience and is an opportunity for students to make a difference in the nursing field.
“It is a way that nursing students can be a change agent in promoting nursing care and having a voice while still in nursing school,” she said. “The resolutions are research-based and require a rigorous process before being authorized by the NSNA resolution committee to present.”
Other MAC Student Nurse Association (SNA) club members, Ashley Yoder and Abbey Barton, also attended and assisted with networking and discussing the resolution with other nursing schools’ delegates. Throughout the week, the convention held learning sessions for the attendees on specific topics, talk groups, and NCLEX prep reviews. Some of the focus sessions included discussion on emergency nursing and the role of the ED nurse, and multidisciplinary nursing licenses (compact licensure).
While the basis of the convention was education, the opportunity to network and meet other student nurses from all over the United States was also beneficial. The engaging conversations promoted growth and sharing of ideas about the scope of nursing practice, and the convention experience provided positive benefits for the attendees toward planning and preparation to becoming a nurse.
Learn more about Mineral Area College Nursing Programs at www.MineralArea.edu.