Goshen College nursing students will merge their knowledge of nursing care with their knowledge of societal issues this Friday, Feb. 11 at the 40th annual Nursing Mock Convention.
The convention allows nursing students to identify significant topics in the field and address ways of approaching them. The convention’s theme is “Stepping into the unknown: Holistic nursing in a changing healthcare system,” and covers three proposed resolutions: the need for cultural competency among nurses, mandatory overtime and mandatory criteria for emergency room admission.
“As conscientious health professionals, it is our duty to address such issues as they arise. This year‘s convention theme...brings into light a few, very important issues that may pass without much consideration otherwise,” said Senior Reuben Maldonado-Nofziger, executive director of the Mock Convention Board.
The day will start at 7:45 am in the Church-Chapel Fellowship hall with registration and refreshments, followed by a keynote address at 8:45. This year’s featured speaker is Barbara Baker, the Director of Nursing for the St. Joseph County Health Department in South Bend. Baker’s speech is titled, “Building a Blueprint for the Future of Nursing.”
For majority of the day, the three resolutions will be addressed in Parliamentary Procedure, a protocol of trial-like behavior originating from the House of Parliament in England. The procedure involves a resolution being offered, students presenting pros and cons of the issue, and finally, a vote occurring to evaluate the present opinions.
Second, third and fourth-year nursing students were divided into districts in the beginning of the year to brainstorm ideas for the year’s resolutions. Goshen College Nursing Convention Board then selected one resolution from each district to present at the convention.
The board consists of Rachel Yoder, President; Laura Rhine, Vice President; Megan Miller, Secretary; Reuben Maldonado-Nofziger, Executive Director; Chelsea Reiff, Displays Chair; and Lisa Goldsmith, Resolutions Chair.
The first Mock Convention took place in 1973 when Associate Professor of Nursing helped initiate the event. Since then the convention has become an annual tradition, with the 40th to occur on Friday.
