What is the Role of the Breakthrough to Nursing Committee?
Breakthrough to Nursing® (BTN) is NSNA’s® project to increase the number and diversity of students choosing nursing as a career. The project was established because of NSNA’s® concern over the inadequacy of health care delivery to minority group members and the lack of minority group health care providers. The objectives of the project are to promote career opportunities in nursing, with a focus on substantially increasing the number of students from groups who traditionally have been underrepresented in nursing. The project has been supported by NSNA since 1965. Its effectiveness seems due, in part, to the peer relationship that can be established between nursing students and minority group elementary, middle and high school students. In addition, through the Foundation of the NSNA, scholarship support is available for diverse nursing students to increase the number of registered nurses from ethnic minorities in the profession.
BTN also teaches nursing students to be culturally competent in their care of all patients. Resolutions passed by the NSNA House of Delegates has expanded the Project to include the recruitment of students from all underrepresented populations.
March 2024 Widener University, Chester, PA
For the first time in campus history, Widener Nursing has been implemented into our campus community clinic to serve the community through various types of treatments and patient care needs. WUSNA E-Board Member, Taylor Wise, was chosen to be the Nursing Clinic Representative, a new position this year. Through this position, she was able to also provide opportunities to fellow student nurses to gain clinical, in person experience and volunteer to serve the community, allowing them to apply classroom knowledge under faculty supervision. Students are able to sign up for time slots during clinic hours, and WUSNA awards them points for their service. This implementation into campus life was not only beneficial for, of course, learning opportunity for every grade level, but as well as the community being able to benefit from said knowledge. The clinic is currently up and running and expanding everyday, with the implementation of fundraising events, community outreach events (ex. Women's Health Fairs, advertisement, social media presence, etc.) and more, which is all being made possible by the willingness of Widener Nurses and Faculty to serve the community and expand their knowledge.
Through student nurses and Widener faculty nurses alike, the time that is given to volunteer within the community clinic impacts our community members everyday. It creates not only a safe space for healthcare, but also a center for opportunity, growth, and education for those who may not be as informed regarding health and wellness. The community is now able to feel comfortable receiving healthcare with no charge, as well as build a rapport with the faculty and staff through a familiar, friendly environment.
February 2024 University of Louisiana, Lafayette, LA
The goal of our submission is to provide information on how our university incorporates the LBQT community inside the classroom at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The LGBTQ population is addressed in both the community and mental health semester at our university. As we learn about different disease processes, we identify populations where there is a high risk for that diagnosis. On the community side, LGBTQ is a vulnerable population and the focus of many public health initiatives. In our Nursing 104 class, unit 11 discuses LBQR as a marginalized population and in Nursing 418 there is a LQBTQ stimulation done with all students to understand how to care for someone from that population.
BTN Video Nursing—The Career for a Lifetime This inspirational program presents accomplished nurses sharing their career journeys and new nurses revealing their dream careers. The DVD includes a main feature with bonus tracks on a variety of nursing career paths, to order, visit the NSNA Store.