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2024 Nursing Conference Grant Winning Essays

The questions for this year’s application cycle were as follows: 

  1. Please describe how you will share what you learn at this conference with colleagues. 

  2. How will you incorporate what you learn from this educational offering into your practice? 

  3. How will this conference advance your long-term career goals (beyond the attainment of continuing education hour requirements)? 

 

Essays were lightly edited for grammar, flow, and readability.  

 

Nikki Stroud

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Essay 1:  During the conference, I aspire to develop valuable connections with fellow nurses and educators, especially those teaching in similar programs, to gain new insight and ideas for curriculum development and classroom strategies. After attending the conference, I plan to host a lunch and learn for my colleagues to share the information obtained that would be beneficial to faculty and our nursing program. This will give us an opportunity to collaborate, brainstorm, and discuss any changes we should plan on to assist in improving our student outcomes. Furthermore, if I attend this conference in June the information learned will benefit our entire faculty team. In addition, we are currently in the process of collaborating with Chamberlain University to become a rural extension site for their LPN to BSN hybrid program. As a part of the planning committee for this addition at our campus, I will utilize my new knowledge to assist in leading faculty to new ideas, products, and services applicable to this level of nursing education. I will be able to provide fresh ideas on clinical partnerships, lab/simulation opportunities, and technology in nursing education; topics also presented at the conference. This would ultimately help the new program thrive and develop.

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Essay 2: The Nurse Educator Convention hosted by the Missouri League for Nursing would be a great opportunity for me to enhance my role as a nurse educator and learn more about up-to-date topics in nursing education. This would directly benefit my career as a theory, lab, and clinical instructor for a rural nursing program, and ultimately benefit the future nurses I teach. This will also support my career objectives that include ongoing professional development and networking with other nurse educators in the region. The topics for this conference that I am most interested in, include strategies in competency-based education, interpreting classroom assessment data, handling AI in education, and Dont lose your ?why?. The sessions will be presented by nurse leaders in education that I admire for their research and knowledge in my chosen nurse specialty area. If I am able to attend this conference I will represent my fellow faculty and return to campus with evidence-based knowledge to share and rejuvenate the excitement and energy we have to help produce safe, professional, competent nurses. This will also transfer into the classroom where I will be able to implement more active learning strategies to teach the important concepts for safe, and effective patient outcomes.

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Essay 3: My long term goal of becoming a leader in nursing education will be assisted by the knowledge I acquire at the nurse educator convention. As a previous attendee of this annual conference, I expect to elevate my expertise in my chosen career and develop in my professional role as an educator. While continuing education hours are an expectation of my place of employment and the Missouri Board of Nursing, I also try to find intentional opportunities to learn and grow. As a member of the Missouri League for Nursing organization, I trust and enjoy the topics chosen as I feel they are always relevant and applicable to my professional goals. My hopes of becoming a nursing program manager or dean in the future are supported by the presenters and information presented on the agenda of this conference. By networking with faculty in the leadership role, I hope to develop mentors and facilitate a basic foundation of what to expect in an administrative position. Finally, my long-term career goal of remaining in a position in rural nursing education can best be supported by exploring, learning, and getting feedback from industry leaders in other geographical areas that have similar interests and goals. This conference, held out of state, will offer a chance to assist in my career development.

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