NSNA 59th Annual Convention

The next NSNA event to mark on your calendar is the 59th annual convention at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.  The theme for this convention is “Defy Gravity: Reach New Nursing Summits” and the convention and program planning committee has been working hard to plan a convention that will address the needs of our membership.  I am pleased to share with you what we have planned for Salt Lake City.

Patrick Hickey, Dr PH, RN, CNOR is our keynote speaker.  Dr. Hickey is the first registered nurse to climb the 7 Summits, the author of “7 Summits: A Nurse’s Quest to Conquer Mountaineering and Life” and clinical assistant professor of nursing at the University of South Carolina.  He will be speaking on “Reaching the Summit of Nursing Education: Are You Prepared for the Journey!”

Two exciting Plenary Sessions will address issues of significance and continued relevance to nursing students and the nursing profession.  On Thursday, the American Nurses Association is sponsoring a session titled “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health” featuring Dr. Sue Hassmiller Study Director, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing at the Institute of Medicine, Washington, DC; Senior Advisor for Nursing Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Princeton, NJ and moderated by Dr. Karen Daley ANA President.  On Friday Life Uniform, St. Louis, MO  is sponsoring “Launching Your Career—Advice from the Cognoscenti!” moderated by Dr. Cathleen Shultz, President of the National League for Nursing and Dean of the Carr College of Nursing at Harding University, Searcy, AR. The panel of past NSNA leaders will share career experiences to help you write your future in nursing.  Giselle Melendez, MS, RN, Administrative Nurse Manager, The Children’s’ Hospital of Montefiore, Bronx, NY; Michael Desjardins, MSN, APRN, Psychiatric APRN Alpine Center for Personal Growth; Clinical Research Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, The Brain Institute at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; Trisha Mims, MSN, MBA, RN, HCM, Clinical Leader, Kingsport Day Surgery, Kingsport, TN; Jennifer Tucker, MA, RN faculty member Anoka Ramsey Community College, Cambridge, MN.

A variety of focus sessions with topics that include finding your first job, nursing heroes, leadership, nursing research, holistic nursing, malpractice prevention, emergency nursing, money skills, health care policy and much more offer something for everyone.

A special feature every year is the Army Nurse Corps/US Army Recruiting Command sponsored reception following the Opening Ceremony to honor the Spirit of Nursing national award winner and other NSNA scholarship winners.

In the exhibit hall, at the Project Showcase, NSNA chapters are invited to showcase their projects, and research as poster sessions.  This is a great opportunity to share your ideas with fellow nursing students and faculty.  To find out more information on poster download the Convention Poster Session Information and Application form.

In addition there will be the annual House of Delegates, the Career Counseling Center, an 8 hour NSNA NCLEX Mini Review Course, a great Exhibit Hall, faculty programs and the FNSNA Beehive Auction. 

Everyone is encouraged to start planning to attend the Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 6-10.  Convention brochures will be available on the Annual Convention webpage.  You can request a bulk mailing of brochures by calling the office, emailing nsna@nsna.org, or downloading the order form.