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GNSA Bulletin - July 2022 Edition

Published July 06, 2022

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Emerging Leaders
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Mark D. Miller, MA, RN

 

MSN Program

Vanderbilt University

 
Fellow of the Cal Turner Program for Moral Leadership

 

Anticipated Graduation Date:  August 2022

 

I chose Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) because of its world-renowned reputation for health care and health research. I was specifically interested in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program because of the advanced training to manage medically complex situations with patients in the acute phase of illness and injury. This is the moment when our patients need a highly skilled and trained, but also a compassionate provider to meet them where they are and provide the science to arrest the disease process. I found that focus is at the heart of the VUSN AGACNP program, with each faculty committed to advancing our profession by ensuring this nursing philosophy is at the center of training new NPs. 

 
My experience in the program has been one of the most challenging things I've ever attempted, but equally the most worthy! The academic rigor is precisely what you would expect from a world-class institution like Vanderbilt. I am completing the accelerated program, so my entire focus has been on this effort. I have made it a point to be involved in all that Vanderbilt University (VU) and the School of Nursing has to offer. I completed a fellowship through the VU School of Divinity in which only 16 graduate students, nominated by their deans, have the opportunity to participate. I was honored to serve as a student leader in the role of Co-Chair of the Graduate Council. The program and these experiences have led to a beautifully immersive experience where I know my faculty are committed to my education because we know each other. 
 
After graduation in August, I have accepted a tenure-track teaching position with a local community college where I will help train the next generation of RN students. I have been accepted to begin work on my DNP, but am also considering a year break and then perhaps pursuing a PhD with a focus on Health Policy. I thankfully have received three offers so far to begin my practice as an AGACNP. My heart is in cardiology, and thankfully two of the offers are with cardiology service-aligned groups who are both wonderful. I'm still not sure which one I'll accept, but my practice will undoubtedly be a fantastic experience, thanks to my preparation at VUSN!

   

 

 
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Are you our next emerging leader? Do you excel in your graduate program, demonstrate excitement for your nursing work, and/or have potential to greatly contribute to health care? If so, submit an emerging leader nomination form today to self-nominate or nominate a fellow student. The emerging leader will be selected from the applicants and notified when they will be profiled. Help us recognize future nursing leaders!

 

Noteworthy Publication: 

In June, AACN released a new study summary titled The State of Doctor of Nursing Practice Education in 2022. The report provides the latest national data on trends in Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs; insights from employers; and recommendations for ongoing engagement with practice partners and certification organizations to support the DNP for entry into advanced practice nursing. To read the report summary, click here

 

Read the Spring 2022 Edition of AACN's Diversity Digest

The Diversity Digest is a quarterly newsletter highlighting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives launched by AACN and member schools of nursing. In the spring 2022 edition you can learn about the 2022 Virtual Diversity Symposium, opportunities for input on AACN surveys, and access the DEI Faculty Tool Kit. To read this issue, click here

 
Join the GNSA!
Take advantage of the various benefits that are free to you as a graduate student! Tell your fellow students and make sure they join today! Click here to complete the online application.

Scholarly Writing Tips and Tricks

 

The kids are out for the summer, but your scholarly work continues. Writing a manuscript or finishing up dissertation work might be on your to do list for the summer months. When to write and how often to write is always a question. The experts say you must write every day. Now that you’ve got that cleared up, what are your next questions? What should you write about? How should you structure or organize your writing?

 

For your manuscript, just write whatever comes to mind. What topic has been on your mind and what do you want to learn more about? Has there been a topic where you have searched in the literature and just can’t find many articles about it? That could be a sign that you should look into that topic further. Also, remember to read publications in your area of interest. Articles have a section informing recommendations for research. This should cue you to what’s missing in the literature. 

 

The same information can apply to your dissertation work, no one knows more about your topic than you do. Start with answering the question about what you want your peers to know about your research topic or why this topic is important to the nursing profession. We all have different passions, tell us what moves you about this work.

 

Organization, logic, and flow could come after you have a few paragraphs of writing. You might decide to break those paragraphs into different headings or subheadings, and voila! You got some structure to your writing.

 

The point of it all is to find a strategy that works for you! Ask your colleagues for tips on how they write, collect strategies from books or other writing resources, and then make it your own. 

 

Here are my key takeaways:

  • Free-write and then revise later.
  • Keep an orphan document with paragraphs you came up with that might not fit in your work just yet. You may find places to incorporate this writing.
  • Don’t be so critical of your work or think it’s just not scholarly enough. You got this!
  • Write for as long as you’re inspired. If you have writer’s block then it's time to switch your attention to something else, like taking a walk or finding the perfect journal to send your manuscript draft.
Good luck on your writing journey this summer!
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Tamu Abreu, MSN, RN-BC, CPPS
GNSA Leadership Council Member
Texas Woman's University

 

What Are Your Writing Success Strategies?

 
GNSA-Community-ICON_830807.pngWhat are some tactics that you use when writing? How do you decide on structure and content? How do you overcome writer's block? Join Tamu in a discussion around writing in the GNSA Connect Community. Share your tips with other graduate students. 
 
As a GNSA member, access to this community provides you with the benefit of networking, learning from other graduate students, and sharing resources. Be sure to login today through your  MyAACN dashboard (GNSA Student Center -> GNSA Community) and explore the topics. In addition, you can review the members tab, which includes a directory of the GNSA members across the county. Be sure to have your profile completed so that others can connect with you. If you have any questions on this resource, contact Marta Okoniewski at mokoniewski@aacnnursing.org

 

Will You Join Us in Washington, DC in August?

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Are you looking to further develop your leadership skills and learn from national nursing experts? If so, then you can't miss the GNSA Conference on August 4-5, 2022 in Washington, DC. Interested in a faculty role? Join the panel of speakers who will share details to help you transition into academia. We will also have panels of recent graduates who will share their tips for successfully navigating the PhD dissertation or DNP capstone project. The GNSA is hosting this conference exclusively for students in master's, doctoral, or dual degree graduate programs and will be focused on the theme of Charting a Future for Nursing Through Innovation. The registration fee is $249 per person with an opportunity to earn CE credits for the conference sessions. Be sure to join the GNSA for this stimulating enrichment experience. To learn more and register, click here. To see what past attendees had to say about this experience, click here for member testimonials and highlights from the last conference. 

 
Attention - PhD and DNP Students - Help Us Celebrate Your Work
 
Are you currently in a PhD or DNP program and collaborating with a student in another program? If so, consider submitting an application for the GNSA PhD-DNP Collaboration Excellence Award. The award recognizes productive joint efforts and highlights the outstanding work underway to advance the nursing profession through an innovative and synergistic approach to translating research into practice and generating new knowledge. Winners are featured in the GNSA Bulletin and other AACN publications and receive a $2,000 award. The doctoral student team will be invited to attend AACN's Doctoral Education Conference to receive the award. The application deadline is August 26, 2022. To view last year's winners and a description of their project, click here. For more information on the eligibility criteria and application, click here

 
Serve as a Student Leader and Become a GNSA Liaison! 
 
Is your institution represented by a GNSA Liaison? You can explore the list of current Liaisons here. If you are looking to grow as a leader and network with graduate nursing students across the country, then this is the opportunity for you. You will serve as the primary point of contact and connect your fellow students with GNSA resources that may be of interest to them. Sign up to serve as a GNSA Liaison for your institution today! As a GNSA Liaison you will be among the first to know about opportunities, scholarships, and events. Click here to learn more about the role. If you have any questions, contact gnsa@aacnnursing.org.

 
2023 Macy Faculty Scholars
 

The Macy Faculty Scholars Program is designed to identify and nurture the careers of promising educators and future leaders in nursing. Macy Faculty Scholars receive up to $200,000 of salary support over two years to implement an educational scholarly project in their home institutions. They also participate in a program of career development activities and build meaningful connections with a national network of mentors and peers, all with the goal of preparing them to become leaders in nursing education. The application deadline is August 1, 2022. For more information, click here


 
WEBINAR ARCHIVES
Missed one of our spring 2022 webinars? All events have been archived, and you can register to review them at any time. Once registered using the link, you will receive an email confirmation with the link to the recording. Don't forget, you can also earn CEU credits for the webinars, just complete the evaluation. 
Designing an Engaging Poster
Aired May 31
Archive
 
Navigating the Job Search as a New APRN
Aired April 20
Archive
 
A Trajectory of Success: From Landing the Position to Transitioning to Advanced Practice
Aired April 20
Archive
 
Collaboration for Success
Aired April 5
Archive
 
Tips on Writing a Successful Abstract
Aired March 29
Archive
 
Turning Your School Paper into a Publishable Manuscript
Aired January 25
Archive

 
OPPORTUNITY ALERTS

NurseThink® - AACN Scholarship

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The NurseThink® - AACN Scholarship supports students enrolled in master's and doctoral nursing programs at AACN member institutions who have a desire to become future nurse faculty. The deadline for this $5,000 award is July 15. To learn more and apply, click here


 

Scrubin Uniforms - AACN Scholarship

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The Scrubin Uniforms/AACN Scholarship supports nursing students in baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral programs who are enrolled at AACN member schools with a formal affiliation agreement with Scrubin Uniforms. The next deadline for the $2,500 award is September 1. To learn more and apply, click here.  


 
ADVOCACY

Join the 2022-2023 GNSA Advocacy Leaders

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Are you interested in learning more about the advocacy process and further developing your advocacy skills? If so, sign up for the GNSA Advocacy Leaders today! This group of 104 representatives (2 from each state) receives specialized instruction through quarterly conference calls to further develop understanding of the policy and advocacy process. To apply, click here and submit your application by August 19, 2022.