Editorial
Hi new and returning NSNA members ! My name is Azariah Torain and I am thrilled to be curating your stories as Imprint Editor for the 2022-2023 school year . Having a space where we all can share our unique experiences as nursing students with others who relate to us is a beautiful thing . I hope that you all will utilize Imprint as a springboard for launching your voice into the nursing world and beyond .
Though we share a lot in common , we vary by age , gender , sexual orientation , religion and much more . These aspects of our identity are inseparable from us thus allowing us to carry different perspectives and world views . In a field as vast as nursing , this is a good thing . The places that make us and the DNA that creates us help to form who we are , but they do not define it . This edition of Imprint is dedicated to “ Stomping out Stereotypes ” because the acknowledgement of who someone is matters , but assumptions about who they are , do not .
On page 33 , you will get to meet Sunshine Batasin , one of NSNA ’ s outstanding members who has worked through her own personal journey with stereotypes , and how she has overcome them to redefine what nursing means to her . While being in nursing school has its own struggles , combining them with the internal battles we fight along with the criticism we face from outsiders proves extremely taxing . Sunshine shares how she made it to the other side of these obstacles and trust me , she will leave you feeling inspired .
We have two award winning essays in this issue of Imprint . The essays were sponsored by the American Association for the History of Nursing .
Along with reading her story , you have the chance to read about the life of Mary Breckinridge , a pioneering midwife from rural Kentucky who redefined what nursing meant to her long before any of us stepped foot onto a hospital floor . Head to page 39 to read author Elizabeth Hemmes ’ s invigorating essay about the “ angel on horseback ” and how she revolutionized Appalachian women ’ s healthcare .
Feel like you haven ’ t found your fit in nursing yet ? Explore the history of hospice nursing with Lisa Phan on page 37 . She takes us back to the conception of the specialty in 1967 up until the present . Dive into the long and fascinating history of how hospice care has transformed in this country and who knows , you may just find your new nursing niche .
If you ’ re in need of some inspiration to get you through the fall semester , you can look back at some of the good times we shared at the NSNA 70th Anniversary Convention this past April in Salt Lake City , UT , on page 28 ! If you ’ re in need of something to look forward to , consider attending NSNA ’ s 2022 MidYear Conference in Virginia Beach , VA , from November 10-13 , 2022 . The Conference ’ s 40th anniversary theme is , “ Passion and Profession : The Whole Scope of Nursing .” If you ’ re ready to take an active role in your career development and fall in love with nursing all over again , flip to page 30 for more details !
Thank you all so much for tuning into this issue of Imprint ! If you have any feedback be sure to reach out to imprinteditor @ nsna . org and I ’ ll get back to you right away . Be sure to complete the short quiz that enters you into a drawing for a $ 500 Imprint scholarship to support your nursing education now or in the future . Have a safe and successful start to your semester and remember — there is no one way to be a nurse , so just be yourself .
Azariah Torain Imprint Editor
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