Moderator:

In her address, “The Courageous Leader: Here’s to the Heroes!” Keynote Speaker Sandra Davis, PhD, DPM, ACNP-BC, FAANP, applauded students who will be the courageous leaders of nursing and health care. “You will be the transformation needed for the future of nursing,” advised Dr. Davis. She noted that the COVID pandemic created a new normal of volatility, complexity, and ambiguity, exposing health inequality.

Dr. Davis highlighted four tasks that courageous nursing leaders will need to address: “First, examine yourself, and strive for accountability and transparency to explain what you are doing and why as you strive to meet the goal of health equity for all.

“Second, cultivate trust and relationships to prepare for what lies ahead in fostering innovation to create a culture of wellness and mental health. Third, be involved in communities to identify what problems break your heart and decide what makes you come alive to find your passion to lead. Fourth, be involved in systems to recognize human connections.”

She observed that nursing school can be a time of great happiness and fun, as well as a time of uncertainty and challenge. It is also a time to prepare for leadership. As professionals, nurses are uniquely positioned for innovation in health care. “Nurses must focus on social determinants to lead social changes.”

In conclusion Dr. Davis quoted William Ospina who wrote that the dancer is not the dance. “You are the dancers to choreograph a new dance. You can move with joy and peace, and others must follow.”

7:00am - 8:00am

Morning Yoga

7:00am - 8:45am

NCLEX Mini Review Powered by

Lippincott PassPoint (conclusion)

7:00am - 4:00pm

Great Salt Lake Silent Auction

8:00am - 4:00pm

Bone Marrow Donor Registry

9:00am - 10:45am

Plenary Session: Transition to Practice

11:00am - 2:00pm

House of Delegates

11:00am - 3:30pm

Exhibit Hall/Career Development Center

11:15am - 3:00pm

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Presidential Debate

3:30pm - 4:30pm

Focus Sessions

3:30pm - 5:00pm

Stop the Bleed Skill Sessions

4:45pm - 5:45pm

Focus Sessions

6:00pm - 8:00pm

Meet the Candidates

Kaitlyn Yu from the University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, kicked off the Opening Ceremony by singing the National Anthem.

Dr. Kathleen Poindexter, Chair of the Board of Governors, brought greetings on behalf of the National League for Nursing (NLN). American Nurses Association (ANA) President Ernest Grant was not in attendance but he sent greetings from ANA via video.

The Opening Ceremony featured the pinning of the Honorary Member. Honorary Membership, NSNA’s highest recognition, was given to Larry Slater, PhD, RN-BC, CNE, FAAN, Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Loewenberg College of Nursing,

Carol Toussie Weingarten, FNSNA President and long-time supporter of faculty and NSNA, presented the Weingarten Leader of Leaders award to Dr. Heidi Monroe, BSN/RN-BSN Coordinator and assistant professor at Columbia College. Dr. Weingarten also recognized the 2020 and 2021 Leader of Leaders winners.

Shawn Kennedy, Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Nursing , presented the Project InTouch (PIT) grand prize to Monique Csenteri, University of Central Florida in Orlando, FL. Monique recruited 83 new members! Thank you to all PIT recruiters.

The first business session of the 70^th Annual NSNA Convention was called to order by NSNA President Kyle M. Loose. After a Roll Call that included 16 peachy Georgia delegates and 22 Hersey kisses, a quorum was declared. Delegates then considered and adopted the rules for the business meeting and the agenda, followed by greetings from Derek Sorensen, President of the Utah Student Nurses Association.

In nominations from the floor, three candidates were added to the slate:

Director, North: Stephanie Smith, Madison, WI

Director, East: NEC South: Erin Kelly, Jacksonville, FL (There was an error in announcement. Erin is slated to run for NEC South.)

Director, West: Amanda Gutierrez, Las Vegas, NV

At the end of the business meeting, all positions remained open for nominations from the floor at the Friday session. Three positions have no candidates: Imprint Editor; NEC East; and NEC West.

Joelle Motley, Chair, Resolutions Committee reported that the House will be considering action on 30 resolutions. Delegates can download the resolutions from the website to their electronic devices; a limited supply of printed copies are available. Delegates may access the full Resolutions on the Guidebook app and www.nsnaconvention.org under the Delegates tab.

Michele Morgan, Senior Manager, Johnson & Johnson, introduced the Thursday Plenary session, “Ward 5B: Nurses Who Defied Convention and Innovated to Establish a New Standard of Care for HIV/AIDS Patients.” She noted that the documentary offers inspiration from the past when nurses provided groundbreaking care as they led others through the unknown in the HIV epidemic that began in the 1970s.

After the 5B film documentary, speaker Julie Slade, DNP, RN, Assistant Program Director and Associate Professor at Chatham University, commented that the Innovation of nurses on Ward 5B was remarkable, given that, at the time, they were caring for patients who had a deadly disease that had never been seen before; no one had any idea about the disease source, course, or duration. As Dr. Slade explained, “Innovation is finding a way to give people what they need based on the best available evidence. Innovation will change practice so roll with innovation.”

She highlighted the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Nurse Faculty Tool Kit, Embedding Innovation in Nursing Curriculum, based on the film 5B. The AACN Tool Kit focuses on the themes of moral courage, advocating for patients, and providing compassionate, patient-centered care.

As described by AACN, “The Trailblazing Innovation Faculty Tool Kit contains a wealth of new teaching and learning resources centered around 17 core themes, which are central to nursing practice.” (www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/Press-Releases/View/ArticleId/24986/johnson-johnson-nurse-faculty-tool-kit) These themes include Compassionate Care, Health Equity, Innovation, Moral Courage, and Person-Centered Care.

“Our world has changed in the past two years because of a pandemic we did not initially understand. With COVID, many people became became politicized and left people in middle trying to figure it out. What happened with HIV on 5B can happen with a pandemic. Whatever role you take, new pandemics and new diseases will emerge. Your future is not yet written so go make it a good one,” concluded Dr. Slade

Thank you all for a fun night! Most of all, thank you to the sponsors for making the night possible.

Download the Guidebook app to access the NSNA Convention Program.