Vital Signs Spring 2017

FEATURING: NSNA Con ven tion Advice fr om Er ica En d of Sem ester Tips RN-BSN

Dr awin g by Rem in gton M oon ey

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

NSNACONVENTION PAGE4

TIPS FORTHEENDOF SEMESTER PAGE8

SHOT AT LIFE PAGE6

WHOSE CARE IS IT? At th e en d of th e academ ic year ,it is h el pfu l to r efl ect on wh y we wor k to becom e n u r ses in th e fir st pl ace.

Th at goal is to pr ovide th e best qu al ity of car e for ou r patien ts as is h u m an l y possibl e. It is easy to l ose sigh t of th is goal as you str u ggl e th r ou gh th e m u l tipl e dem an ds it tak es to do wel l al on g th e way.

Nu r ses h ave th e pr ivil ege to wor k with patien ts an d th eir fam il ies at pivotal per iods in th eir l ives.

Th ese peopl e r el y on n u r ses to pr ovide accu r ate, tim el y,safe car e an d in for m ation so th at th ey can m ak e in for m ed decision s. It is wh y ou r ANA Code of Eth ics r equ ir es u s to tr eat al l peopl e with r espect an d dign ity.

Regar dl ess of th e dir ection th at h eal th car e tak es over th e n ext few year s, n u r ses h ave an

obl igation to pr otect th ose u n der ou r car e.

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W e ar e in th is bu sin ess to tak e car e of patien ts.

Th ey m u st be for em ost in ou r th ou gh ts. Th e equ ipm en t an d pr otocol s we u se in car in g for th em ar e ju st tool s. W h il e th ose tool s ar e im por tan t, it is th e fin al pr odu ct th at m u st con stan tl y be in ou r m in ds.

M y son is a pr ofession al boat bu il der an d exper t cr aftsm an . H is h an d tool s an d l ar ger woodwor k in g m ach in es ar e im por tan t to h is wor k , bu t wh at separ ates h im as a cr aftsm an is h is abil ity to accu r atel y for m a piece of wood in to a par t of a boat th at is both fu n ction al an d ar tistic.

Its sh ape, for m , size, an d in tegr ation in to th e wh ol e boat cr eates a fin al pr odu ce th at is beau tifu l to l ook at, sim pl e to u se, an d

fu l fil l s a specific pu r pose. Sim il ar l y,an exper t n u r se u ses ou r pr ofession al tool s (equ ipm en t, sk il l s, a depth of k n owl edge an d exper ien ce) to cr eate th e specific car e n eeded by a given patien t. M y best exam pl e of th is bl en din g of sk il l an d ar t is an in ter view with a patien t abou t qu al ity car e. W h en ask ed abou t th e n u r se com pl etin g an assessm en t of h is con dition , h e r espon ded th at sh e h ad ju st tal k ed with h im an d did n ot com pl ete an assessm en t. H owever , wh en ask ed m or e specifical l y abou t wh at sh e did, it becam e cl ear th at sh e h ad so woven th e assessm en t com pon en ts in to h er ?tal k ? th at h e was u n awar e th at an assessm en t h ad been com pl eted. Th e ?tool s? faded in to th e back gr ou n d as th e ar tistr y an d sk il l of th is

n u r se al l owed th e patien t to assu m e th e for egr ou n d.

M y h ope for each of you is th at you becom e exper t in th is cr aft we cal l n u r sin g. Ou r patien ts an d com m u n ities deser ve car e th at goes beyon d bein g ju st fu n ction al .

Ou r car e sh ou l d sh owcase th e best of ou r abil ity to bl en d th e ar t an d scien ce of n u r sin g.

Th is goal r equ ir es u s to al ways k eep th e patien t at th e for efr on t. So as you go off to n ew jobs or a su m m er of n ew exper ien ces, k eep you r patien ts at th e fr on t of you r m in ds. H on e you r sk il l s, devel op a facil ity at u sin g th ose n u r sin g tool s, expan d you r k n owl edge, bu t r em em ber th at th e en d poin t is th e best qu al ity of car e for you r patien ts.

H appy Su m m er !

-Dr. Ph il ip Gr ein er

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NSNA CONVENTION Th is year was m y fir st tim e atten din g th e NSNA An n u al Con fer en ce. I atten ded th e state con ven tion l ast fal l , so I h ad som e idea of wh at to expect bu t I cou l dn ?t bel ieve h ow BIG ever yth in g was at n ation al con ven tion ! Over 3000 n u r sin g stu den ts atten ded th is year ?s con fer en ce in Dal l as, Texas.

Th er e wer e m an y stu den ts pr esen tin g th eir r esear ch poster s, ton s of r ecr u iter s an d gr adu ate sch ool advisor s, an d m an y am azin g speak er s wh o del iver ed m ean in gfu l focu s session s.

On e of m y favor ite par ts was bein g abl e to m eet n u r sin g stu den ts fr om acr oss th e cou n tr y an d discu ss th e sim il ar ities an d differ en ces between ou r n u r sin g

pr ogr am s. At on e poin t, a gir l wh o was waitin g in l in e besides m e ask ed if I h ad tak en M ater n al & In fan t H eal th cl in ical yet an d ask ed m e for h el p with h er r esear ch paper. Cl ear l y,we h ave m or e sim il ar ities th an differ en ces! I l ook for war d to sh ar in g al l th at I h ave l ear n ed abou t l egisl ation , r esu m e-bu il din g, n u r sin g stu den t association s, car eer oppor tu n ities, an d m u ch m or e in th e u pcom in g year !

I wou l d al so l ik e to str on gl y en cou r age n u r sin g stu den ts at an y poin t in th e cu r r icu l u m to atten d th e CNSA State Con ven tion in Pom on a October 6-8th , NSNA M id-Year Con fer en ce h er e in San Diego Novem ber 2-5th , or even NSNA An n u al

Con ven tion in Nash vil l e Apr il 4-8, 2018! You wil l wal k away in spir ed!

-Sh er yl W ar fiel d, CNSA Pr esiden t 2016-2018

Respon sibil ities for bein g a Del egate at Nation al Stu den t?s Nu r sin g Association Con ven tion in cl u de el ectin g th e n ew n ation al officer s to ser ve on th e Boar d of Dir ector s an d votin g on r esol u tion s th at h ave been su bm itted by stu den ts n ation wide.

At th e H ou se of Del egates, r esol u tion s th at h ave been r eviewed by th e r esol u tion com m ittee ar e pr esen ted an d debated. Th e au th or of th e r esol u tion is al l owed two m in u tes to discu s th eir r ation al e for th e im por tan ce of th eir r esol u tion an d wh y th e H ou se of Del egates sh ou l d vote in favor. Fol l owin g th e au th or s statem en ts, tim e is al l owed for two

pr o an d two con statem en ts as wel l as an y cl ar ification s th at m ay n eed to be addr essed. Th is year fifty-eigh t r esol u tion s wer e su bm itted an d fifty-th r ee r esol u tion s wer e passed. H igh l igh ts of th e r esol u tion s th at wer e passed in cl u de ?in su ppor t for advocacy for pol icies su ppor tin g affor dabl e h eal th cover age an d qu al ity car e,? ?in cr eased n u r sin g stu den t action on an d awar en ess of th e effects of cl im ate ch an ge on h eal th ,? an d ?in su ppor t of in cr easin g awar en ess of th e dan ger s of seden tar y l ifestyl es.?

H ear in g r esol u tion s th at stu den ts wr ote an d th e passion th ey pr on ou n ced for th e su bject at h an d was a

ver y in spir in g exper ien ce. If you h ave a str on g passion for a topic th at is in n eed of ch an ge or r ein for cem en t in th e n u r sin g pr ofession , oppor tu n ities to h el p wr ite a r esol u tion to be pr esen ted n ext year at Cal ifor n ia Nu r sin g Stu den ts?s Association An n u al Con ven tion an d Nation al Stu den t?s Nu r sin g Association Con ven tion ar e avail abl e. For fu r th er detail s con tact th e n ewl y el ected Legisl ative Dir ector ,M ol l y Sh ay.

-H an n aah Osu n a Legisl ative Co-Dir ector 2016-2017

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SHOT AT LIFE byAnnMarieCorrea Ever y 20 secon ds, a ch il d dies fr om a vaccin e-pr even tabl e disease in devel opin g cou n tr ies.

M y exper ien ce at th e Nation al Stu den t Nu r se Association Con ven tion in Texas was fu l l of am azin g exper ien ces bu t th e th in g I was m ost passion ate abou t was th is statistic. It was th en th at I r eal ized th e exten t to wh ich vaccin es ar e tak en for gr an ted h er e in th e Un ited States. It is a pr ivil ege th at we do n ot th in k twice abou t wh en h al f way ar ou n d th e wor l d, ch il dr en ar e dyin g fr om il l n esses th at cou l d h ave been pr even ted by vaccin e.

M easl es, pol io, pn eu m on ia, an d diar r h ea ar e fou r of th e wor l d's m ost deadl y an d disabl in g diseases, al l of wh ich cou l d be com bated by vaccin es. Th e m oth er s in Zam bia ar e ju st on e

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exam pl e of h ow h ar d th ese diseases can r eal l y be. Ch il dr en in th ese ar eas ar e n ot given a n am e u n til th ey r each th e age of 5. Th is h as n oth in g to do with th e m oth er s disin ter est in th e baby, bu t r ath er abou t th e h ar d facts of l ife in pl aces su ch as Zam bia.

M ost of th ese wom en h ave h ad sever al ch il dr en , al l wh o h ave died fr om vaccin e-pr even tabl e diseases befor e th ey r each ed th e age of 5. It is for th is r eason th at m oth er s wait to n am e th eir ch il d til l th ey k n ow th at th ey h ave a ch an ce of su r vival , it is too h ar d to becom e so attach ed to som eon e th at m ay n ot su r vive.

I atten ded a focu s session l ed by a n u r se an d activist for an or gan ization cal l ed Sh ot@ Life.

Th is or gan ization wor k s to su ppor t th e UN an d vaccin e

par tn er s ar ou n d th e gl obe to m ak e su r e th at ch il dr en h ave access to vaccin es an d a sh ot at l ife. Th is Al l ian ce m ak es it possibl e for vaccin es to get to even th e m ost r em ote cor n er s of ou r wor l d, th ou gh th e tr ek is n ot easy. Both fam il ies an d vaccin es tr avel gr eat distan ces th r ou gh th e Col d Ch ain . Th e vaccin es ar e or der ed by UNICEF an d th en del iver ed to th e design ated ar eas

by Gavi wh er e th e Col d Ch ain begin s. A ch ain of peopl e tr an spor ts th e vaccin es by foot, m otor bik e, car ,boat, bicycl e, an d even ox car t to r each th e design ated m eetin g spot wh er e eager fam il ies ar e waitin g with th eir ch il dr en . For th ese fam il ies, bein g abl e to give th eir ch il d a vaccin e m ean s givin g th em a ch an ce to l ive an oth er day an d is wh at m ak es th is in cr edibl e jou r n ey wor th it. I am in cr edibl y gr atefu l to h ave h ad th e oppor tu n ity to atten d Nation al Con ven tion an d to gr ow in m y edu cation an d passion abou t topics su ch as th is. I en cou r age ever yon e to visit th eir website at sh otatl ife.or g to l ear n m or e abou t th is am azin g gr ou p an d wh at each of you can do to con tr ibu te.

-An n M ar ie Cor r ea, Gl obal In itiatives Dir ector 2016-2017

H el l o SDSU Sch ool of N u r si n g St u d en t s Facu l t y an d St af f :

pr om ise even tu al l y you wil l pass an d becom e a RN, if I can do it an y of you can too. Rem em ber on e M y n am e is Er ica Fon tan a an d I test does n ot defin e th e am azin g was a SDSU SON gr adu ate Cl ass n u r se th at you W ILL be. of 2015! GO AZTECS! I h ave been 3. You W I L L get H ir ed: I wor k in g as a RN for a year an d a h al f in Labor an d Del iver y. I en cou r age you al l to appl y to as wou l d l ik e to sh ar e with you five m an y jobs th at in ter est you . You r pieces of advice th at I wish I n ew fir st job m ay n ot be you r dr eam wh il e goin g th r ou gh n u r sin g job bu t r em em ber th at sch ool an d tr an sition in g in to ever yth in g h appen s for a r eason becom in g a RN. an d ever y oppor tu n ity wil l h el p you gr ow as a n u r se. Even if you 1. You W I L L pass Nu r sin g ar e u n su r e abou t a job titl e ju st go Sch ool : Tim e su r e fl ies by fast if th r ou gh th e in ter view pr ocess th er e is on e th in g I wish I did becau se th at exper ien ce wil l m or e of wh il e goin g th r ou gh m ak e you even better pr epar ed n u r sin g sch ool was to soak in for you r n ext in ter view. For ever y m om en t an d spen d as exam pl e, I in ter viewed at both m u ch tim e with m y cl assm ates Sh ar p M ar y Bir ch an d Sh ar p as I can . Befor e you k n ow it Gr ossm on t in L an d D. I got h ir ed gr adu ation wil l be u pon you an d for both position s an d goin g in to you al l wil l be star tin g New Gr ad th e pr ocess I th ou gh t th at I wou l d pr ogr am s al l acr oss th e cou n tr y, for su r e ch oose M ar y Bir ch , bu t so en joy th ose l ate n igh t stu dy after th e in ter views I fel t th at session s becau se you r Nu r sin g Gr ossm on t was th e r igh t fit for sch ool fr ien ds wil l be in you r l ife m e. I didn 't wan t to do th e for ever.

Gr ossm on t in ter view bu t n ow I 2. You W I L L pass th e NCLEX am so th an k fu l th at I did. Go in to (even if it tak es you 2 tim es): I you r in ter views with an open m ysel f h ad to tak e 530 NCLEX m in d an d h ear t an d th e r igh t job qu estion s...It was th e h ar dest oppor tu n ity wil l fal l in you r l ap. th in g I h ave ever don e bu t it was 4. You W I L L m ak e m istak es: I so wor th it. At th e tim e after n ot wil l n ever for get th e fir st tim e passin g, I was so sad th at al l of m y fr ien ds passed an d I did n ot. th at a doctor yel l ed at m e for a m istak e I m ade. In th at m om en t I I h ad to dig deep, stu dy h ar der th ou gh t m y l ife was over bu t th en an d l ean on m y cl assm ates for I r eal ized I wou l d n ever m ak e th at su ppor t. If th is h appen s to you I

m istak e again an d th is doctor tau gh t m e a h u ge l esson . W h en you star t you r job m ak e fr ien ds with th e peopl e on you r u n it, th ey becom e you r fam il y. I l ear n som eth in g n ew ever y day at wor k an d I al ways r em in d m ysel f th at th e day I stop ask in g qu estion s an d wan tin g to l ear n wil l be th e day I m ak e a m istak e.

5: You W I L L al ways str ive to be th e best n u r se you can be: W e ar e al l so bl essed to be a par t of th e won der fu l SDSU SON pr ogr am . Nu r sin g sch ool pr epar ed m e so wel l for m y fir st job an d for th at I am for ever gr atefu l . Th is n u r sin g pr ogr am tau gh t u s th at we h ave so m an y oppor tu n ities an d th at if we h ave th e h ear t, com passion , in tel l igen ce an d deter m in ation we can be th e BEST n u r ses th at we wan t to be.

Last bu t n ot l east r em em ber to h ave con fiden ce in you r sel f as you tr an sition fr om Nu r sin g stu den t to RN. You h ave been tr ain ed by th e best, h ave a gr eat su ppor t system , an d you can be an yth in g you wan t to be. I wish you al l th e best in you r n u r sin g car eer th is tr u l y is th e BEST pr ofession in th e wor l d.

Best wish es, Er ica Fon tan a RN

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RN t o BSN ??w h o ar e t h ese p eop l e??!!!

By Ju dy M edin a, RN RN t o BSN v s Tr ad i t i on al ?..W h at ?s t h e d i f f er en ce?

RN to BSN stu den ts h ave com pl eted a ?two year ? n u r sin g pr ogr am at a com m u n ity col l ege, al th ou gh th e ph r ase ?two year ? is deceivin g becau se it actu al l y tak es 3-4 year s total wh en you in cl u de pr er equ isites. In th ese pr ogr am s stu den ts com pl ete cor e n u r sin g cou r ses wh ich m ay in cl u de ph ar m acol ogy,fu n dam en tal s, per ioper ative, pediatr ic, obstetr ic, m etabol ic, n u tr ition , psych iatr ic, an d cr itical car e n u r sin g. Upon gr adu ation , an associate?s degr ee in n u r sin g is awar ded. ADN gr adu ates ar e abl e to sit for th e NCLEX, an d r eceive th e sam e RN l icen se th at tr adition al fou r year stu den ts do. M ost RN to BSN stu den ts ar e wor k in g as RNs al r eady!

W h y com e back t o sch ool i f y ou al r ead y h av e y ou r RN l i cen se?

Gain in g a bach el or ?s degr ee h as sever al advan tages. For exam pl e, it expan ds job pr ospects. Lar ger h ospital s, or th ose with m agn et statu s, ar e m or e l ik el y to h ir e gr adu ates wh o h ave ear n ed a BSN. RN to BSN stu den ts val u e con tin u in g edu cation as a k ey com pon en t to advan cin g in th eir car eer s. I f y ou h av e al r ead y com p l et ed t h e n u r si n g cou r ses, w h at cl asses t o y ou t ak e t o get y ou r BSN ?

RNs tak e cou r ses in l eader sh ip, com m u n ity h eal th , advan ced assessm en t, r esear ch , pr ofession al ism , an d possibl y wr itin g (yes, we al so feel th e wr ath of th e W PA). W h at RN t o BSN st u d en t s ar e N OT?.

Th ey ar e n ot stu den ts wh o ?cou l dn ?t get in to a 4 year pr ogr am ?. M ost stu den ts fr om com m u n ity col l eges ar e h igh l y qu al ified, h igh l y com petitive can didates. Yet, du e to per son al pr efer en ce or l ife cir cu m stan ce, th ey ch ose th is cost effective r ou te th at al l owed th em to wor k as an RN wh il e com pl etin g th eir degr ee. Th ey al so ar e n ot l im ited in scope of pr actice. Th ey tak e th e sam e NCLEX an d ear n th e sam e l icen se as a fou r year n u r sin g gr adu ate. W h y sh ou l d I get t o k n ow t h e RN t o BSN st u d en t s?

As we m en tion ed, m ost RN to BSN stu den ts ar e wor k in g as RNs al r eady! Th ey h ave gain ed val u abl e exper ien ce an d cou l d pr ovide som e in sigh t an d gu idan ce to tr adition al stu den ts wh o ar e appr oach in g gr adu ation . Keep in m in d th at com m u n ity col l ege stu den ts com e fr om ver y diver se back gr ou n ds. Som e ar e sin gl e par en ts, sol e pr ovider s, fu l l tim e wor k er s, adu l t r een tr y stu den ts, secon d car eer stu den ts, r efu gees, ph ysician s fr om oth er cou n tr ies, etc. Th is l ife exper ien ce sh ows str en gth s an d r esil ien cy? .a val u abl e asset. Fin al l y,RN to BSN stu den ts h ave PASSED TH E NCLEX!! Th ey m igh t h ave som e u sefu l tips!

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This issue of the Vital Signs Newsletter has been brought to you by the SDSU CNSA Vital Signs Committee: Kaitlyn Johnson (2016-2017 CNSA Communications Director) Nichole Shwartz Judy Medina Remington Mooney Rachel Battles (2016-2017 CNSA Image of Nursing DIrector) with contributions from: Hannah Osuna (2016-2017 CNSA Legistlative Co-Director) Sheryl Warfield (2016-2017 CNSA President) Chloe Roach (2016-2017 CNSA Legislative Co-Director) Dr. Philip Greiner Ann Marie Correa (2016-2017 Global Initiatives Co-Director)

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