Student Nurses Association Orlando
Strikes Gold at FNSA Convention
T
he Student Nurses’ Association had an overwhelming presence at the Florida Nursing Students Association 59th Annual Convention held Oct. 24-26. A force of 180 UCF nursing students attended the Daytona Beach event, which provided excellent networking opportunities, focus sessions, and guest speakers—including inspirational speaker and author Marcus Engel, founder of the I’m Here Movement. Sixteen UCF nursing students represented the chapter in the House of Delegates. This was not only the highest number of represented delegates, but UCF was one of the only schools to have all allotted delegates present. UCF students authored two resolutions and presented them to the state board and delegates. Submitting resolutions was a first for the Orlando chapter—and both were approved! The resolutions were entitled, Enhanced Standardization and Admittance on Ovarian Cancer Education and Awareness by Practicing Nurses, by Lilian Canamo, and Mandating Healthcare Providers to Incorporate HIV Testing into Routine Medical Exams, by Hannah Zinman and Kayley Tool. The Orlando chapter raised about $1,500 from sales of the popular ‘I heart nursing’ T-shirts, badge clips and clinical supplies.
Graduate 1 Kristi Campoe, a Nursing PhD candidate, presented and co-presented research on instrument development at national and regional conferences. She was the recipient of a $1,000 educational scholarship from the Tampa Bay Organization of Nurse Executives, and was also awarded a Faculty Development and Research Grant ($8,690) in collaboration with two colleagues at Nova Southeastern University, where she is an assistant professor. The grant funded her dissertation, Impact of Frequent Interruption on Nurse Performance, Satisfaction and Cognition. 1
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Best of all—the SNA Orlando chapter brought home four chapter awards and two student scholarships. The chapter awards included: 1. Greatest Number Increase in Membership, 2. Highest Student National Incident Management System (NIMS) Certification, 3. Breakthrough to Nursing, and 4. Scrapbook.
Awards Received
Jessica DiPietro and Sarah Thomas received the student scholarships. Patricia Leli, coordinator of the basic and accelerated second degree BSN programs at UCF, was honored with the FNSA Program Director of Year Award. Additionally, Orlando SNA members were elected to the 2013-2014 state board: Anthony King, 1st Vice President; Derek Eiflander, Corresponding Secretary; Geraldine Martinez, Region 3 Director, and Sarah Thomas, Region 1 Director. Two UCF chapter members were also appointed to state positions: Alexis Bosque, as the Image of Nursing; and John O'Leary, as the FNSA Liaison Coordinator.
SNA Orlando Board Members
“The Orlando SNA board attributes our success at the FNSA Convention to our members’ active participation, the commitment of our advisors, Dr. Linda Howe and Ms. Kim Dever, and the college’s support in our efforts to improve the future of health care,” Thomas said. •
2 Sigrid Ladores (Nursing PhD ’13) presented internationally at the Iloilo Doctor’s College School of Nursing in the Philippines, and was invited twice to co-moderate sessions at the Philippine Nurses Association of Central Florida’s Leadership Retreats. She received multiple honors and awards, including the 2013 Dr. Linda and Glenn Hennig Scholarship ($1,000), 2012 Knightingale Society Scholarship ($1,000), 2012 MVP Recognition Award for Outstanding Contribution from the Philippine Nurses Association of Central Florida, and was also named the March of Dimes Graduate Nursing Student of the Year for Central Florida in 2012. 3
Patty Berwager (BSN ’10), a MSN student, was named 2012 March of Dimes Nurse of the Year for the Emergency/ Trauma category.
SNA Advisors
3 Christopher Martorella, an Executive DNP student, has served as the Region 4 Director for the American Organization of Nurse Executives, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee, since January 2013. Susan Clark, an Executive DNP student, was nominated for the Excellence in Leadership award at the Florida Organization of Nurse Executives’ Biennial Educational Conference and Tradeshow. Clark is the director of nursing inpatient services at Martin Health System’s Tradition Medical Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla. •
College OF NURSING MAGAZINE
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