web viewbecause i did not even get an interview to be a rna upon graduation, i decided that i would...
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Kentucky Association of Nursing Students
January/ February 2014
NSNAConvention Nashville, TNApril 9-
12, 2014www.nsna.org
KANS has been hard at workreaching out to hundreds of high school students across the state. The picture to the right is from the Health Occupationsof Today Expo in Somerset, KY.
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Kentucky Association of Nursing Students
January/ February 2014
Letter from thePresident
Hello and Welcome all Kentucky Association Nursing Student members and cohorts! Let me start off by saying it’s an honor and a privilege to have been elected as the President of KANS for the upcoming 2014 year. I intend to work hard to ensure our association remains vibrant and stronger than ever. Our out-going President, Becky Lamkin, will be one tough act to follow. She’s done an excellent job of promoting our association to people across the state. She is vivacious, hard-working, committed, and maintains a high standard of professionalism. I am proud to pick up where she and the other 2013 board members left off. I wish each of them the best in their future nursing endeavors.As for me and my background, I am a student nurse at Madisonville Community College. I will be graduating May 2014 with my ADN degree. I currently work as a student worker for the Nursing Division at MCC. As I am not currently employed in healthcare I have been in the healthcare workforce for many years in many different positions; from registration/billing, CNA, Patient Care Tech, appointment scheduler to an EMT on the streets: I’ve done it all. I have served as our local chapter KANS President for the last year, and what an amazing opportunity it has been. I have also served as the American Heart Association Heart Walk Captain for 2 years helping raise over $10,000 for the American Heart Association. AHA is very close to my own heart as I had a son pass away from heart disease at a very young age. I bring to the association my experience in not only healthcare, respectable management skills, and dedication but I bring a compassion for nursing that was given to me through my own experiences as a patient’s mother. I am extremely passionate about providing excellent care to all persons in need. To be on the path that allows me to do just that by providing care, promote healing as well as self-growth, and help projecting positive interactions with patients and nurses is why I am pursing the profession of nursing. MAKING A DIFFERNCE IS WHAT COUNTS. With the continuing support of the KANS constituents, who are the driving force of this Association, I look forward to the 2014 year with confidence that we will grow to be better and be a stronger force within our great state of Kentucky. Moving forward with this year, I encourage each of you to do the following at premier levels: be active, be seen, be heard within your local organization, join me and our 2014 KANS Board in creating opportunities for yourself and fellow classmates, embrace your student career,
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Kentucky Association of Nursing Students
January/ February 2014embrace your professional
relationships, and become the greatest nurse that you can become. These movements will lead you to great success, greater opportunities, and the greatest of all, amazing personal /professional fulfillment.
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January/ February 2014
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Hello fellow Kentucky Association of Nursing Students! My
name is Taylor Moser. I am so excited to have been elected as Breakthrough to Nursing (BTN) Director this upcoming 2014 school year. A little bit about me: I am a current nursing student at Lincoln Memorial University. I will be graduating in May of 2014, with my ASN degree. I currently work as a Patient Care Attendant at Baptist Health Corbin. My previous job was also in the healthcare field, I was a medical tech for a doctor’s office, Family Health Care Associations. My passion is nursing. I truly love to help take care of people to best of my abilities. My Grandmother was a Floor Supervisor of a hospital in Florida, and she is who has inspired to become a nurse.
Taylor Moser Breakthrough to Nursing Director
Breakthrough to Nursing includes projects that help increase
the number of qualified students enrolled in and graduated from nursing school. Our KANS BTN Director position was previously vacant, so I am working diligently to learn about and fulfill my position appropriately. I feel it takes a certain characteristic of caring and compassion to be a nurse, which is why I feel it is important to have an active BTN program for our state. TheNational Student Nurses’ Association website has great information on projects that our association and your individual schools can do to increase interest and recruit those qualified nursing students.
The first Breakthrough to Nursing project for Kentucky Association of Nursing Students was at the Health Occupations of Today (HOT) Expo in Somerset Kentucky. We had a table set up, ready and willing to share information about nursing and the opportunities that we have in nursing to impact lives of our surrounding communities. Some of the things we shared with the high school students that attended included how nursing is life changing for yourself (for the better, of course) and all the hard work and passion required and what benefits you get as a nurse. Several high schools attend from across the state, with hundreds of high school students stopping to visit with us. We had packets and brochures about nursing, free items to give away such as t-shirts, backpacks, “Nurses ROCK” bracelets. We also gave information about great job opportunities and how nursing is a demand in our country. Our first Breakthrough to Nursing Project was a success and I want to personally thank each and every one of you who
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January/ February 2014
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came out to help make this project a success.
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January/ February 2014
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Life After GraduationHello from Terry Callahan, Legislative Director. I graduated in December from Elizabethtown Community
College. Graduating was actually more exhilarating than I anticipated. You see, I already have a bachelor’s and an associate degree but I truly believe this degree was the hardest to obtain. Unfortunately, I was not able to just waltz out of school and pick a job. After all, that’s what it’s all about, getting a job as a nurse.
I think we all assumed that we could just go to the local hospital and just sign up for a med-surg job without experience; especially a teaching hospital where I did clinical. Well, you know what they say about assuming something…. Yep, it wasn’t that simple to get a job. There were several from my class that were even turned down for extern positions last spring. Although we were disappointed, I don’t think we realized that it was a hint of things to come.
Because I did not even get an interview to be a RNA upon graduation, I decided that I would pass NCLEX as soon as possible thinking that RN by my name would certainly make a difference. I studied and signed up for a January 8 test date. I was antsy as heck because I was incredibly broke and in debt so I kept checking Pearson Vue to see if there was a cancelation and jumped on a December 30th date when I found it. Here is a tip for all of you, don’t delay and look for cancellation if you are ready to test. It doesn’t cost anything to change your date. I passed, much to my surprise, after 75 questions. It was truly the hardest test I had ever taken in nursing school with no less than 30 “choose all that apply” questions. One of my classmates only had about 5 of those evil little question styles.
With NCLEX complete, I applied for every position within 50 miles that fell under the RN distinction regardless of the “one year experience required” notation. UGHHHH! Zero call backs and 100% rejection from my local hospital. The job I accepted at a local mental behavior facility is totally weekends but that is OK with me. I am happy to have this job lined up especially since I never heard back from them from my online application. Because I hadn’t heard from them, I decided to drop off a hard copy of my resume one afternoon (2 weeks after applying online). I got a call 2 hours later. The point here is to follow up on those online applications, don’t rely totally on technology. It’s even more confusing and frustrating when they state “please don’t call us, we’ll call you”. It’s a real catch 22. I have checked in with several of my classmates and my experience is very similar to theirs.
I recently spoke with the Director of Human Resources at a hospital who confirmed my worst suspicion. The Affordable Care Act has hospitals running scared about hiring. They are cutting back tremendously because they don’t know what the future holds. The HR Director could not verify that there are more applicants than usual, as I had originally thought. You see, there are nursing schools that are increasing enrollment due to demand but with the cutback on hiring; this could really impact your future.
You must stay informed and do everything possible to make your resume blow everyone else’s out of the water. That includes membership in pre-professional organizations such as KANS and NSNA. That would also include and honor and volunteer organizations. Speaking of KANS, you would not be reading this is you were not interested in or being a part of KANS/NSNA. KANS is informative, supportive and an essential part of your experience. As a member, KANS/NSNA gives you valuable insight into a professional organization.
It is certainly great to be a graduate but this article would not be complete if I did not add that I am an RN and not a BSN so you know what that means. More school. I am currently taking the steps necessary to enroll in an online BSN program. Thanks to networking with my fellow graduates pooling I have decided on an accredited program. KANS/NSNA helps us to maintain a great network of fellow students for job info, school info and just plain old support. After all, weren’t we taught that support groups are effective therapy for pretty much “all that ails you”?
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62nd National Student Nurse Association Annual Convention
Place: Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, TN
Date: April 9-13, 2014
Important Deadlines:March 17, 2014 for Hotel ReservationsMarch 19, 2014 for Mail/Fax Pre-RegistrationMarch 26, 2014 for Online Pre-registration
Why You Should Attend:-NCLEX Mini Review -American Red Cross Certification-First Night Party (Don’t forget your cowboy boots and hat) -Exhibit Hall-Career Development Center-Blood Drive-Bone Marrow Donor Registry -Music City Annual Live Auction -Forever Nursing 5K Run/ 1K Walk (Don’t forget your tennis shoes) -A free night to enjoy Nashville -County Western Jamboree
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KANS Annual Convention Sneak Peak:
“Oh the Places You KANS Go”
October 2014
Want information about the recent healthcare changes?
Visit healthcare.gov
Let us know what your local chapter is doing!Email information and pictures to
By: Amanda Smith KANS Communications Director