Student Nurses' Association Takes on State Convention
January 29, 2015
From November 19 until November 21, 2014, 27 members of the Drexel University Student Nurses’ Association (DUSNA) represented Drexel nursing as voting delegates at the 62nd Annual Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP) Convention in Lancaster, PA. The SNAP convention was attended by over 700 nursing students from around the state and over 35 faculty members.
Presiding over convention was Drexel nursing alumni, Alexis Burns ‘14, as she completed her year serving as the 2013-2014 SNAP President.
The convention started with a team of DUSNA seniors competing in the NCLEX Championship Bowl. After many rounds, they proudly won second place! Pictured to the right are seniors: Tara Cooke, Addison McInnes, Allison Dollak, Rebecca Walker, Jacqueline Bender, Juliet Beidl, and Nikki Fearn.
As the convention continued, DUSNA members attended the opening Keynote Address, networked in the Exhibit Hall, attended various breakout sessions and voted in the House of Delegates. During the House of Delegates, five DUSNA members, Anne Woolley, Addison McInnes, Christina Gyarmati, Ariane Man-Willrich, and Victoria Daughen, presented their resolution entitled: In Support of Further Research to Develop an Evidence-Based-Practice Response Toward Armed Shooters in Healthcare Facilities. The resolution was passed by the House of Delegates! Later that night at the 62nd Annual SNAP Banquet, DUSNA was awarded the Chapter Excellence award. This award is recognition of the chapter’s continued success with their numerous events including professional development speakers, community service projects and research projects.
During the convention pre-junior, Anne Woolley, ran from the floor for the SNAP board position of Nominations and Elections Committee for the East Region. After a speech in the House of Delegates and answering students questions in Meet the Candidates, Anne won the position. She will represent Drexel on the SNAP board for the following year with the role and responsibility of encouraging students to run for SNAP Board Positions next year.
Attending convention encompasses all of the aspects that the Drexel University Student Nurses’ Association works on building with students throughout the year. Not only do students have the opportunity to be exposed to a variety of different fields in nursing, but it also gives them a chance to network with students from around the state. Thus allowing students to put their leadership skills to use. By attending convention DUSNA’s members are able to grow and learn aspects of nursing that cannot be learned in a classroom, but better them for the professional world they will join.
By Katerina Raiser, BSN Co-op ‘16
President, Drexel Student Nurses’ Association (2014-2015)
Vice President, Drexel CNHP Student Senate (2013-2015)