2024 Nursing Student Association of North Dakota Annual Convention

During my senior year, I decided as a senior leadership project to create a mentorship program for the incoming nursing students at the University of Mary. As a non-traditional student myself and thousands of miles from home, I understood the anxiety, loss, and uncertainty of starting a new educational adventure alone. So many of my classmates had asked upperclassmen about upcoming classes and clinicals; however, many, like myself,  didn't have connections to those upperclassmen. 

I decided that as nursing students, we strive to help others in the communities, hospitals, and living centers; however, we have forgotten those directly around us. 

This project connected senior and sophomore students, offered leadership skills for the seniors, and helped improve sophomore students' academic success by decreasing unnecessary stresses and offering the support of a peer. 

I created leadership/mentorship guidelines and outcomes for the seniors to prepare them for their transition to practice. I also offered educational support and progress checkpoints for mentorship success and leadership. 

As a nursing community, I wanted to instill unity and equity among our fellow nurses at the beginning of our careers. This would help everyone's success rate and create new relationships and friendships that hopefully will continue as we move on into our practices.