BTS It s Back to school!

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1 It s that time again, students! The fall semester has begun or will be beginning shortly and it s time to get back into the swing of things! Remember to take it one day at a time, plan ahead, and always be sure to take care of yourself! We future nurses can t take care for others and set positive examples if we aren t practicing good self care! Convention is just a few weeks away! More details and information will be emerging so be sure to follow up on our website and Facebook page! We have a great few days planned and are very excited to see you there! Radhika Kadakia Publications Director Gans.ekg@gmail.com It s Back to school! BTS Convention COSL Mercer on Mission 7 Emory News 8 Treasurer Update 9 Nursing School Tips

2 CONVENTION 2014 The Georgia Association of Nursing Students 62nd Annual Convention is just a few short weeks away! This years convention will be held at the Wyndham Peachtree Conference and Hotel Center in Peachtree City, Georgia. Students from across the state are encouraged to attend as the convention will offer several focus sessions, Resumania, Dance Marathon, Hurst NCLEX review, NCLEX bowl, and the election of the GANS board members. To register, please visit Your registration fee includes all meals, parking, internet, NCLEX bowl, and the Saturday night banquet if you wish to attend. Wyndham Peachtree Hotel and Conference Center 2443 Highway 54 West Peachtree City, GA

3 Summary of events 62nd Annual GANS Convention In addition to daily focus sessions, the blood drive, and the meeting of House of Delegates, students are welcome to participate in the following events: Thursday, October 23, 2014 Resumania: learn the ins and outs of what employers are looking for in a resume. Learn the essentials and the not-so-essentials to include. NCLEX Bowl: The NCLEX Bowl is a fun, competitive event similar to trivia that includes NCLEX style questions. Please select this as an option under the ticketing information to ensure an accurate count of attendance. Friday, October 24, 2014 Hurst Review: An NCLEX review that includes must know core content, provides brand new nurse critical thinking skills, provides specific testing strategies, and NCLEX style practice exams. Dance Marathon: Take a load off and enjoy an opportunity to join other nursing students and children as we raise money for Children s Healthcare of Atlanta. Saturday, October 25, 2014 NCLEX Practice Exam: Have the opportunity to test the knowledge and use your critical thinking skills to the ultimate test. Closing ceremonies an Banquet: Find out who will be the next leaders of the GANS board and enjoy a final dinner with all attendees.

4 COSL 2014 was held this summer from May at Camp Twin Lakes in Winder Georgia. COSL brings nursing students from throughout the state to connect, network, and build lifelong leadership skills. At COSL,students engage in team building activities, discussions, and guest speaker presentations. Speakers this year included Rebecca Wheeler, Georgia Nurses Association President, Stuart Misner, HURST review representative, Out of Darkness advocate, Lisa Kjar, and several veterans and family members of those in the U.S. Armed Forces. Aside from the guest speakers, students were kept busy with several leadership activities and games such as Captains Coming (a hilarious ice breaker!), Ropes courses, a scavenger hunt, Students worked together as groups and individuals to accomplish an objective and common goal. Everybody s favorite activity seemed to have been COSLympics! Students got down and dirty with soapy water balloons, shaving cream, donuts, and a messy slip and slide, which made it an event to remember! Everyone was able to wind down that night and enjoy some smores by the lake and bonfire. COSL 2014 was quite and success and we cant wait for next year!

5 Mercer on mission: Honduras This past summer, students of Georgia Baptist College of Nursing of Mercer University, along with other students of pre-professional and health professional schools. took traveled abroad to Honduras. The goal of Mercer on Mission is to serve disadvantaged individuals by providing education and healthcare. Students took part in every aspect of the healthcare process, including clinic set-up, vital patients, diagnosis/treatment, pharmacy distribution, and education. This is a wonderful opportunities for students as they are able to become more aware of healthcare treatment and knowledge as they return back to their surroundings and practice. While in Honduras, the team partnered up with an organization called Honduras Outreach, Inc (HOI), in which they hosted the serving team and assisted during their time. Mercer students arrived tin Tegucigalpa and traveled by bus to Juticalpa to serve the people of the Agatta Valley in Central Honduras.

6 I thoroughly enjoyed my first Mercer on Mission experience in Honduras. I can truly say it was the best inter-professional experience I have ever had. It was rewarding to see how all our professions work together in a patient care setting.i felt like I was able to provide patient care for many diseases states I probably would not have had the chance to see during my clinical experiences in the states. Of the many things my patients taught me, I must say that patience was the most important one. I witnessed many people wait in long lines to be seen, but were still able to come in with a smile on their faces and were genuinely thankful that we were there to help them. I also have a greater appreciation for the opportunities I have been given in life. It was a wonderful experience that I will never forget and always be thankful for. I made long lasting friends with my team. Overall, I would not trade this opportunity for anything in the world. It was rewarding to see how all our professions work together in a patient care setting.

7 What is the National Parkinson Foundation? Parkinson s Disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and 14 th leading cause of death in the United States. Currently affecting about 1 million people in the United States and approximately 4 million throughout the world, the prevalence of this disease is expected to increase over the next few years. With the increasing demand, research, and cost in treating this disease, NPF has funded over 180 million dollars in support. There are currently 39 Centers of Excellence at medical centers with 24 being in the U.S. As well as support groups for over 100,000 people diagnosed along with their families. They deliver care to over 50,000 Parkinson s patients and continue providing and improving clinical care. Way to go emory!! Emory university receives a parkinson foundation grant! Last year, a fellow student Tigest Teshome, a student within the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, initiated a relationship with the Parkinson's Foundation. Through her efforts, Georgia nursing students came together during Moving-Day Atlanta, a fund raising walk for Parkinson's Disease. The Georgia Nursing Student's team successfully fund raised to help further Parkinson's research, as well as spread awareness of this disease to their community. Through further partnership with the Parkinson's Foundation, ESNA initiated lunchand-learn seminars at four universities in the Atlanta area to further increase awareness of Parkinson's Disease. This summer, the Emory Student Nursing Association of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing received a grant from the Parkinson's Foundation. This grant allows ESNA to expand educational lunch-and-learn opportunities to more universities in the Atlanta area. We hope that through these educational opportunities future nursing students and even students from different disciplines will better understand the impact that this disease has on the life of individual's living with this condition and will inspire students to apply what they learned Written by Ashley Anderson, Emory Student Nursing Association's Parkinson's Grant Coordinator

8 Familiar with amazone smile? Are you an online shopper? If not, why not become one? Online shopping is so easy and convenient and as if Amazon wasn't already easy enough, they ve added more to help give back and help charities of your choice! Amazon has created a non-profit organization, Amazon Smile, to help organizations receive donations from purchases made by you! The non-profit organization of your choice will receive 0.5% of each purchase you make. All you have to do is purchase your items through Amazon Smile and choose the non-profit organization of your choice. How great is that? You get your shopping done AND help out the organization of your choice without even leaving your home! It s perfect for us busy nursing students! Show your support for Georgia Association of Nursing Students by purchasing textbooks and other items through Amazon Smile. Just follow this link: Your contributions will allow GANS to continue providing you with knowledge, leadership skills,, and accessibility to help you get the most out of not only your nursing school journey, but you life and career as an RN! Don t Forget! Bravelets are Always on Sale! Passionate about nursing and the opportunities presented with the involvement with GANS? Bravelets is a non-profit organization that sells custom made jewelry, donating a portion of proceeds. For every piece bought, $10 is donated to GANS. GANS takes that money to provide opportunities for current and future nursing stuents to grow as leaders and future professional nurses. GANS would not would not be able to provide these opportunities without the involvement of wonderful students like you, and your Continue Supporting Your #1 GANS!!

9 New to Be prepared for class. Read assigned pages and take notes Find a good study buddy or a small group of friends you can count on. They will become family Break things down into smaller pieces. Focus on one thing at a time. Don t move ahead until you understand material clearly Turn off social media- those Instagram pictures and Facebook statuses will be there when you re done studying Coffee: BID-TID PRN (Seriously though, make sure you re drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated!) Review before class so you can keep up. Starting out confused never ends well GO TO CLASS! If your professors can make it through the traffic at 8 am and lecture for four hours, you can be sure to be there and listen Plan ahead and keep a planner. Realizing last minute that you have two tests in the same week will only stress you out more Ask questions. If there s something you re unsure of, there s a good chance someone else is in the same boat Get enough sleep the night before clinical. Bed baths and dressing changes are easier when you re prepared Record y our lectures. Professors tend to talk fast Don gloves Don t stress! GANS has some advice for you! Don t ever cross your sterile field. Ever If you didn t document it, you didn t do it Naps are nice. Fit them in if you can Invest in DVR. You may be missing you weekly episodes of Grey s Anatomy or Pretty Little Liars Take study breaks. Your brain needs a breather every now and then Learn what methods work best for you. Not everybody studies the same way Don t let go of yourself. Make time for yourself- eat well, exercise, and sleep plenty Be open to new experiences and allow yourself to grow. You ve made it to nursing school, you have what it takes to survive an succeed