Recognizing the need for additional resources and guidance in Moraine Valley Community College’s rigorous Nursing Program, students and faculty collaborated to establish a chapter of the National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA) to support aspiring nurses.
About 22 students became members of this organization after Jacinda Ross, nursing instructor, encouraged her students to start the chapter on campus.
“When I was in nursing school, I was the president of my NSNA. I really enjoyed the activities we did and wanted to bring that to Moraine Valley as there wasn’t a current one,” Ross said. “NSNA is a great way for students to collaborate with fellow classmates, to develop leadership and provide community service projects that will benefit the community and provide a positive impact for nursing in the community. When I was in school, we volunteered at a women’s shelter and weeded their garden. It’s exciting to bring NSNA to Moraine Valley so the nursing students can create their own experiences and memories.”
Student leaders of the Moraine Valley NSNA include president Destiny Robles, of Crestwood, and vice president Whitney Williams, of Maywood, both of whom will graduate in May. Both leaders credit Ross with encouraging them to get involved and wish they had more time to develop their chapter.
“Mrs. Ross said she loved being part of her chapter, and I credit a lot of who I am as a nurse to her. We were behind her,” Robles said. “We’re still getting our footing, but now we’re trying to plan community events and share new ideas, such as upper class students being mentors to classmates. This is a labor of love”
Williams, who worked in social services for 13 years before returning to school, saw a need for more mental health services and wanted to become a nurse in the specialty. Returning to school after a decade is a challenge, but Williams said joining a college organization, such as NSNA, is a benefit.
“After researching NSNA, I thought it would help because it has resources to get you through the Nursing Program, and you can get the community involved. The Nursing Program is really tough, and I wish we had this my first semester. However, it will really help the students who come after me,” Williams explained. “I think this will be really good for incoming students – resources, networking, community involvement, a mentoring program.”
Through NSNA, students will gain leadership skills, access scholarship opportunities, receive discounts on certain insurances and have the chance to attend the yearly national conference to learn from their peers. It also will provide networking through all factions of nursing. Robles and Williams are motivated to do as much as they can to help current and future nursing students.
“The goals are to promote professionalism, which is important in this field of work, but also to gain educational opportunities and mentor,” Ross added. “The students have such amazing goals, and they are going to do great things.”
For news media inquiries, contact Maura Vizza, Moraine Valley communications specialist and sports information coordinator, at (708) 974-5742 or Vizzam@morainevalley.edu.
