Imprint 2020 September/October 2020 September/October | Page 34

Resolutions : Empowered to Make an Impact in Nursing

Kristle Akau Chair , 2020-2021 Resolutions Committee resolutions @ nsnainc . org

Greetings Imprint readers ! My name is Kristle Akau , and I am the newly appointed NSNA Resolutions Chair . I am a student nurse at the Kapi ´ olani Community College Nursing Program located in Honolulu , HI . I currently work as an administrative assistant of inpatient nursing at an acute care hospital , where I also have experience as a patient care technician and chair of the self-governance committee for a medical / surgical unit . I served on the 2020 Resolutions Committee and found that being involved in the Resolutions process was purposeful and inspiring . Reviewing the impactful resolutions that came in made it clear to me that this was an excellent way for student nurses to make a difference in the world of healthcare . As the months got closer to the 2020 NSNA Annual Convention , it became apparent that we would have to cancel the Convention due to the impact of COVID-19 . Because of this , Resolutions were not able to be presented to the 2020 House of Delegates and were , therefore , not able to be approved . Little did we know at the time that this theme of change would propel us to new heights as we learn to adapt and grow . I ’ m proud of my fellow healthcare workers , students , and educators in rising to meet these tremendous challenges with grace and dedication .

As student nurses in 2020 , many emotions wash over us . It feels as if we are a ship in port , getting equipped for a long voyage . As we witness the nursing profession navigate uncharted waters , we are inspired by the grace , selflessness , and skills necessary to set sail . As we embark on the 2020-2021 school year , student nurses across the world are learning the valuable nursing skills of resilience and flexibility . As we encounter many questions , we are faced with the unknown . We find ourselves in the messy middle of a global pandemic — yet we must remember it is in this “ mess ” where the real magic happens . Although many times we may feel as if we have hit our limit , we are learning we have the ability to stretch into much more than we initially thought we were capable of . As we push past our comfort zone , we are experiencing growth beyond what we had ever imagined .
On behalf of the 2021 Resolutions Committee , I want to express how honored we are to be the first set of eyes to see the impactful resolution topics that will be presented to the 2021 House of Delegates . As we redefine the new normal , there is no better time to let your voice be heard . The 2021 Resolutions Committee strongly encourages members to submit a stance on an issue or topic in the form of a resolution to be brought to the House of Delegates . Resolutions passed by the House of Delegates become the basis of policies and actions taken by the NSNA and display the importance of these topics to our members . A resolution must address only one topic , be national in scope , and must be functional to what the NSNA is capable of doing — as outlined in the NSNA bylaws and mission . I am pleased to confirm that Resolutions that were submitted last year have the ability to be resubmitted if the primary author will still be a student during the Annual Convention in April 2021 , and if the issue is still current .
Now that I have given a brief introduction on the impact of resolutions , I am excited to invite you to attend both the Resolutions Bootcamp Webinar on September 28 th at 9pm-10pm EDT via Zoom and to join me in discussing how to write a resolution at a focus session I will lead at our Virtual 38 th MidYear Conference on October 29 th -31 st . Watch out for more information regarding that session in upcoming communications . For immediate access to information regarding the writing , formatting , and submission of resolutions , please refer to the Guidelines for Planning a Resolution on the NSNA Resolution Committee page at www . nsna . org / resolutions-committee for guidance . Please reach out to me with any further questions at resolutions @ nsnainc . org as I am happy to guide you along this voyage . Stay well and aloha from your Resolutions Committee Chair ! n
32 NSNA IMPRINT n SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 n www . nsna . org