Breakthrough to Nursing

​ Committee

Julia Chan
BTN Director
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA
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Seasonal Memos​

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 American 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. 

Julia Chan, BTN Director and
​Chair, Breakthrough to Nursing Committee, Summer Memo

Hello NSNA Members:
 
My name is Julia Chan, and I am beyond honored to be elected to serve as your Breakthrough to Nursing Director (BTN) for 2023-2024. The NSNA Breakthrough to Nursing Committee is super excited to work with all of you and your communities to support diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts. This year, the two members of the board joining me to form the committee are Kayla Honeysett and Flynn Almirol.
 
Thanks to the previous BTN committee, the BTN Toolkit is easier to navigate and easier to understand. This is a helpful resource that provides instructions and ideas for school and state organizations, which includes: school/state projects and the BTN monthly awards, as well as information regarding what BTN is and the role we all play in it. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Read More

​BTN Monthly Winner (February 2023)
Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA

Throughout the month of February, we celebrated the impact of black nurses in nursing and our community. We posted multiple posts about different influential black nurses that were leaders, educators, and advocates for nursing and health for all. These posts highlighted the work of these nurses and the perseverance they had to reach their goals. The nursing leaders posted about included Adah Belle Thoms, Lawrence C. Washington, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Mary Elizabeth Carnegie, and Estelle Massey Osborne. Through this social media project, we aimed to increase the knowledge and awareness of black nurses and Black History Month. We aimed to foster a space of diversity and inclusivity by highlighted these influential nursing leaders.
 
Multiple students mentioned how they learned more about black nursing leaders. Many did not know the influence these nurses had on the nursing we know today. This social media project encouraged students to learn about nursing leaders as well as diversity and inclusivity.

​BTN Monthly Winner (March 2023)
University of the Pacific, Sacramento, CA

Springtime can be the season to forgive and forget, as well as a time to forge healthy self-care habits. Here at University of the Pacific, we are encouraged daily to prioritize self-care, as it makes us better humans, better students, and better nurses. Therefore, the CNSA, Pacific has devised several ideas to help put a SPRING into one's step that centers on helpful, inexpensive opportunities to dive into a self-care journey. Some examples to help with self-care include taking a walk during stressful times, talking to trustworthy friends/colleagues or family members, eating healthy foods and drinking water, participating in silent meditation, or reading a self-help book.
 
Nurses and nursing students both deal with intense stress during working hours and during nursing school. Overtime, stress wreaks havoc on the mind, body, and soul, creating disgruntled attitudes and burnout among the profession. Implementing self-care habits is a way to combat these negative feelings and attitudes. It is always a good reminder to practice self-care because it benefits both nurses and patients and helps us see the bigger picture of our sacrifice to humanity-to advocate and care for humanity to build a better tomorrow.

BTN Resources
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​How to Establish a Mentor-Mentee Program At Your School ​
​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.
The BTN Project
Nursing students from all over the country share their thoughts on becoming nurses. Video created by Jennifer Kalenkoski, Breakthrough to Nursing Director (2016-17).