Kayla Honeysett Vice President University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing Pittsburgh , PA vicepresident @ nsnainc . org
Hello friends ! It is my amazing honor to serve all of you as the Vice President of NSNA ! My journey through this organization began my freshman year at the University of Pittsburgh in the Nursing Students ’ Association , where I was a part of the resolution committee and mental health committee . I am a rising junior and currently serve as the Mental Health Chair where I advocate for nursing students ’ mental health . Mental health advocacy is very close to my heart , and I aspire to become a pediatric psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in the future .
As NSNA Vice President , I support President Lauren Lodico in her goals and am a member of both the Executive and Finance committees . Furthermore , I have the privilege of being the Health Policy and Advocacy ( HPA ) Chair . I am passionate about this position because I believe that we , as nursing students , have powerful voices when we work together . The HPA committee — consisting of Director Flynn Almirol , Director Delaney Sanders , and me — chose our yearly theme to be “ The HEART of Nursing : Healers , Educators , Advocates , Resources , and Trailblazers .” We believe this theme encompasses many of the roles that nursing students have in clinicals , classrooms , conferences , and more . This year , we want to increase awareness of Mental Health First Aid training , educate about the roles of professional nursing organizations in health policy , and advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities . To achieve our goals , we plan to publish articles in Imprint , post information on social media , and communicate with State Presidents and Health Policy / Legislative Chairs .
During the summer , I met with nursing leaders to learn how to best advocate for health policy ; I am eager to share what I have learned . Additionally , nurses within professional nursing organizations will be speaking at NSNA ’ s Annual Advocacy Education Day on October 18th , 2023 from 2-5 pm EDT . This virtual event teaches nursing students how to be advocates , to get involved with legislative changes , and to develop their professional identity in the political and healthcare world . Overall , I am most excited to attend the MidYear Conference in San Diego , CA , and the Annual Convention in Orlando , FL . Please reach out to me at vicepresident @ nsnainc . org and say hello when you see me because I look forward to meeting you all and hearing about how you embraced the HEART of nursing this year ! As you journey through the joys and challenges of nursing school , remember to affirm to yourself that you belong , your mental health matters , and you ’ re not alone ! n
Bernesha Pope Secretary / Treasurer University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing Jackson , MS secretary-treasurer @ nsnainc . org
Greetings to my fellow nursing students , NSNA members , faculty , and friends ! I am delighted and honored to have been elected to serve as the 2023-2024 Secretary / Treasurer for the NSNA . I currently attend the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing , where I am enrolled in the RN-BSN program with an anticipated graduation date of December 2023 . Throughout my time in nursing school , I have participated in leadership positions within my school chapter and state .
In addition to my role and responsibilities as Secretary / Treasurer , I have the pleasure of serving as the Finance Committee Chair and a member of the Executive Committee and Convention Planning Committee . I am eager to use my experiences to help set forth goals and achieve great outcomes with my fellow committee members .
My favorite aspect of nursing school has always been watching myself and my classmates grow and evolve into our professional roles . In addition , I have had the opportunity to assist NSNA , state associations , and school chapters grow and evolve as well . My primary goal for the year is to strategize ways to increase membership enrollment and create new revenue streams to combat the losses experienced during the pandemic . Most importantly , the 2023 House of Delegates voiced and voted on resolutions for the NSNA board to address . We hear our constituents loud and clear and are striving to create solutions towards the future betterment of our profession .
I hope to interact with you throughout the school year . Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or ideas . We are in this together ! Lastly , I look forward to meeting you at the MidYear Conference in San Diego , CA , November 2-5 and at the Annual Convention in Orlando , FL , April 3-7 , 2024 .
Best of luck to you this school year , and I wish you much success with all future endeavors ! n
22 NSNA IMPRINT • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2023 • www . nsna . org