Connecting Our Future Nurse Leaders!

In July, the 2021 National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA) Virtual Leadership University Summer Summit offered several College of Nursing the chance to build leadership skills and engage with peers and mentors from around the country. After attending the conference, CON Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students Sue Tison and Elizabeth Lee discussed the experience and their efforts to expand their professional identity in nursing. Both are part of the DNP Nurse Executive and Leadership track at CON.

Sue Tison

What motivated you to attend the summit?  

“As a student in a leadership program, I find it difficult at times to connect the dots between professional nursing care and performing leadership responsibilities.”

What aspect did you enjoy most?

“The concept of connecting with those who have transitioned into a leadership role makes my goal more tangible.”

How did this experience help build your leadership skills and develop your professional identity as a nurse?

“Extending my time to include interaction with successful leaders gives me role models in addition to my faculty. Most of our faculty have a full-time nursing position in addition to a faculty role. The most popular question I get about the pursuit of my Doctorate concerns ‘why bother with that?’. My future plans include becoming an educator, and I benefit greatly from the experiences of others who have accomplished my goals that are yet to be clearly defined.  Leadership that supports the humanity of the nurse as well as the patient is poorly in our profession, adding to shortages of nurses.”  

Elizabeth Lee

What motivated you to attend the summit?  

“As I am on my journey to becoming a nursing leader, I have found it crucial to expand all my resources so that I may be the best possible leader. The NSNA is a great resource for not only students but also for nursing leaders because there is a plethora of different nursing leaders on this association. They advocate for their schools and their students, and that is important as a leader."

What aspect did you enjoy most?

"The end note speaker was informative on the importance of nurses taking breaks. I have found in my recent years as a nurse that this aspect has been taken away from nurses. Working long hours and being understaffed has caused for a high rate of nursing burn out and turnover. Nursing leadership has recently been more focused on numbers rather than caring for their staff. Nurses rarely get a 15-minute break or even their 30-minute lunch break due to the high acuity of patients. As a nurse leader, I want to turn the focus back on the nursing staff so retention can be held. The end note speaker expressed this importance of nurses being able to take their 15-minute breaks for their personal health and mental stability."

How did this experience help build your leadership skills and develop your professional identity as a nurse?

"Attending this summit allowed me to discover the many resources that are available for leaders but also for nursing educators. As I stated before, the NSNA provides great resources for students and educators. As I am undecided of which path I will be taking in the future, it is pivotal to explore all my options and resources possible. The participants in the summit were all helpful and influential on becoming great advocates and leaders.”