The Nebraska State Student Nurses Association (NSSNA) held their annual conference virtually this year, and five Clarkson College students attended. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student Mariah Orduna was elected President of the state board during the event on February 6, and she will serve for the next year to help the organization continue to support student nurses across the state of Nebraska.
Orduna has been a member of the Student Nurses Association at the College for three years and served as the Breakthrough to Nursing Director for the NSSNA last year. “After being a part of the board as the Breakthrough to Nursing Director during the 2020-2021 academic year, I knew that I wanted to continue being a part of this nursing organization,” she says. “I wanted to have an even greater role in leadership, so I decided to run for president. I actually made the decision to run the day of the election, because I realized what a great opportunity it would be to lead and serve the nursing community.”
In her role, Orduna will oversee the 2021-22 NSSNA board including administering meetings and serving as a resource for NSSNA members in Nebraska. She will also have the opportunity to serve as the Nebraska delegate for the Student Nurses Association national convention.
Orduna and her fellow nursing students who attended the NSSNA conference this year were able to participate in panel events and breakout sessions covering a variety of subjects including oncology research, psychiatric care and COVID-19. Attendees also had the opportunity to hear from State Forensic Nursing Coordinator Anne Boatright MSN, RN, SANE who works with anti-trafficking efforts in Nebraska.
“I really enjoyed hearing from Anne Boatright, who was the keynote speaker this year,” says Orduna. “She is an amazing speaker and one of the many highlights of the conference.”
The annual conference is just one of the ways SNA helps students who are entering the nursing profession. Their mission is to promote an atmosphere that encourages the unique development of a nursing student into a nursing professional by providing guidance, support and diverse learning opportunities.