The

A Publication of the Nursing Students Press of the Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing Volume VI, Issue v MAY 2013

STATUS POST
HEALTH HEADLINES

Health News Hunter News Nursing New s Opinion Features Student Life Arts and Leisure

Table of Contents

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MISSISSIPI BABY CURED OF HIV

HIV and therefore the baby had not had prophylactic therapy in utero. The baby who is now two and a half years old, shows no signs of the virus and is off medications. If further study demonstrates efficacy of therapy in other babies, it will almost certainly be recommended. The United Nations estimates that 330,000 babies were newly infected in 2011 and that more than three million children globally are living with H.I.V. The lead author of the study, Dr. Deborah Persaud, associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Childrens Center, and some other outside scientists said they were certain the baby had been infected. There were five positive tests in the babys first month of life four for viral RNA and one for DNA. Once treatment began, the virus levels in the babys blood declined in the pattern characteristic of infected patients. They found tiny amounts of viral genetic material but no virus was able to replicate, even lying dormant in so-called reservoirs in the body. The drugs, started early on, most likely killed off the virus before it could establish a hidden reservoir in the baby. One reason people cannot be cured now is that the virus hides in a dormant state, out of reach of existing drugs.
Source: Pollack, A. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/04/health/for-first-time-baby-curedof-hiv-doctors-say.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

by Hoi Wong

Photo Credit: The Health, Flickr http://www.examiner.com/ article/baby-with-hiv-cured-a-baby-born-with-aids-virushealed-new-hiv-cure-for-kids

octors announced in March that a baby had been cured of HIV for the first time. In Mississippi, the baby of an HIV-infected mother was treated aggressively with antiretroviral drugs around 30 hours after birth, something not usually done. The mother was not aware she had

OVERUSING MEDICAL TESTS & PRESCRIPTIONS

eventeen medical specialty groups, including the American Society of Echocardiography and the American Academy of Pediatrics have recently recommended that doctors reduce their use of 90 unnecessary tests and treatments. While a portion of these recommendations are already established guidelines, others address procedures that are still regularly practiced but have not been proven to be beneficial and may cause more harm than good. One recommendation is made by The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNNMI) urging doctors to refrain from performing annual stress tests using nuclear heart scans after coronary artery surgery.

This test, they explain, exposes the patient to radiation that is equivalent to 2,000 chest x-rays. In addition to the SNMMI request, there are multiple groups who advise against prescribing antibiotics for illnesses caused by viruses because viruses cannot be combated with the use of antibiotics. Not all of the unnecessary procedures on the list put patients at risk. They do however cost the health care facilities money and resources, such as the use of echocardiograms for patients with no history or symptoms of heart disease. Daniel Wolfson, executive vice president of the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation concurs with this caution to physicians by saying: Many of these tests are wasteful,

by Erica Sanchez

Photo Credit: http://www.nutritionsavvygirl.com/wp-content/ uploads/et_temp/bright-pills-526214_600x400.jpg

and they could put patients in danger of harm without any benefits. The goal is to begin to change attitudes both from the public side and the physician side that sometimes less is better.
Source: Tarkan, L. . Retrieved from http://well.blogs. nytimes.com/2013/02/21/doctor-groups-issue-list-ofoverused-medical-tests/

HUNTER News

HUNTER News 3

SAVING MOTHERS PROJECT

rowing up in two different third world countries, Bangladesh and the Philippines, I feel that it is my duty to give back to the international community after graduating from nursing school. I began this mission in 2011 by partaking in Habitat for Humanitys Global Village program, a restoration project addressing Pasig Citys housing crisis after a tropical storm hit Manila, Philippines. With growing interest in public health after a class on community health nursing, I was inspired to be a part of a greater change that starts with life. By getting in contact with Valerie Gruhn, a recent Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing graduate, I was able to learn about Saving Mothers and their birth kit initiative. Saving Mothers is a nonprofit organization committed to improving maternal health in the developing world. It is led by a group of OBGYN and obstetricians from Mount Sinai Medical Center. Each year, approximately three hundred thousand

by Jasmin Zaman
women die due to childbirth related complications. Most of these deaths could be prevented with basic supplies that would ensure hygienic births and access to rudimentary care. Saving Mothers sends trained volunteers to places like Guatemala, Liberia, and Dominican Republic to connect with traditional birth attendants and local health care providers to ensure healthy deliveries by providing them with birth kits. Each birth kit contains the following items: hand sanitizer, a bar of soap, a baby hat, a baby blanket/receiving blanket, a sheet to be placed under the mother, cord ties, razor blades, gloves and gauze. Saving Mothers has expanded on an older birth kit model introduced by the World Health Organization, by maximizing its efficacy, all while minimizing its cost. Low resource protocol based kits (LRPBK) educate the majority of those performing the deliveries and empower them with the resources needed. By providing women overseas with birth kits and proper health education we can decrease maternal mortality during childbirth. This Mothers Day, nursing students at Hunter Bellevue School of Nursing are taking part in the Saving Mothers Birth Kit Initiative. Our goal is to reach $5,000 to build 1,000 birth kits. Our projects have included: social networking, bake sales, tabling at Hunters main campus, clothing drives, bar and music showcase events with the community health group at HBSON, using restaurants as partners including Pinkberry, and public fundraising with blood pressure screenings and temporary tattoos at McCarren Park in Brooklyn. We have also become a charity partner with a go-to parenting resource called Mommy Bites, co-founded by a Hunter College graduate, for their annual Mommy Bites Summit event featuring Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey.

CELEBRATING AGE: A Chinese New Year Dinner

arch 14th marked the 20th Chinese New Year Dinner hosted at the Grand Harmony Palace, sponsored by the Sadin Institute on Law and Public Policy and the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging of Hunter College. Well attended by President Jennifer Raab, various officials, and Hunter administrators, faculty and students, the event celebrated Honorable Kristin Booth Glen for her outstanding advocacy for the aging population. Honorable Kristen Booth Glen was the Dean of the School of Law from 1995 to 2005 and is returning to CUNY as University Professor. She has had an illustrious career in private practice and the judiciary, having served on the New York Surrogates Court, the New York City Civil Court, the New York State Supreme Court, and the Appellate Term. She chaired the ABA Commission on Law and Aging and continues to serve

by Darren Panicali

the geriatric interest on the Council of Advisors of the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging. Her esteemed work has earned her the Sadin Institutes Distinguished Service Award. Four Hunter-Bellevue nursing students celebrated Judge Glen alongside Dean Gail McCain and Professor Theresa Yannaco. The presidents-elect of Hunter-Bellevues student organizations, Jessica Jimenez (NSP), Deborah Lee (HSNA), and Darren Panicali (NSNA), and the Communications Director of the Nursing Students Association of New York State, Jason Leung, were invited to partake in a multi-course banquet in the spirit of the Chinese tradition. The experience further connected their generation to those before, bringing health promotion among the aging to the forefront of their leadership and future practice. Notable among Judge Glens acceptance remarks was an impas-

Photo by: Proferro Yanacco

sioned call to protect human rights across the globe. Her speech solidified what many easily forget: An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere. We as future nurses are bound to this duty, and with some determination, we can respond to Judge Glens call and direct positive change in the global arena.

9/11 MEMORIAL BUTTERFLY GARDEN: Spring Cleaning

his past April, a few of the students from the Hunter Bellevue School of Nursing joined together to provide spring cleaning and new plants to the 9/11 Memorial Butterfly Garden located outside of the Brookdale Campus. The idea of the butterfly garden was started by Hunters own ELNEC instructor, Professor Todaro-Franceschi, in honor of the victims of the 9/11 tragedy. The garden is especially dedicated to one volunteer firefighter who happened to be a HBSON nursing student at the time. Every Fall and Spring semester, Professor Todaro-Franceschi recruits students to come clean-up, maintain, and plant within the flower bed right

Photo Credit

(Top Left to Right): Saving Mothers official Facebook; https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/553998_10152750962760249_1572335168_n.jpg; Jasmin Zaman (Bottom Left to Right): Jasmin Zaman; https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRSJ_qWN3who23BZ6WdEmQZjx_YdBp0Bw44yvMWWFbFqgXclLfc; Jasmin Zaman; Jasmin Zaman

outside the schools entrance. Restoration of the garden for the spring and summer seasons was broken up into a three-step process. Step one included passing around an envelope cleverly decorated with flowers during the senior 412 course to collect money to purchase flowers to plant in the garden. The donations resulted in over sixty dollars. Special thanks to Kristine Santos and her Mother for taking the time to purchase and transport the flowers to the school. Step two included weeding, picking up the garbage, tilling the soil and scrubbing down the memorial stone. The final step included planting purple and white petunias, and bright yellow

by Kiana Piedrahita

marigolds - Hunter College pride of course; lastly the surrounding soil was covered with mulch. Working in the Memorial Butterfly Garden is an excellent opportunity to connect with nature. Not to mention, it is a nice little break from studying those long pages of nursing content. Professor TodaroFranceschi is an excellent mentor if you would like to learn more about gardening, especially when it comes to Butterfly Gardening. Caring for the garden in the Spring and Fall semesters is slowly becoming a HBSON tradition. It is the hope of the Graduating Seniors that next years Seniors and incoming Juniors will keep this tradition alive.

Nursing News

Nursing News 5

n America, it is easy to forget the countless struggles other countries face on a daily basis. Many diseases that have been virtually eradicated in the United States are often crippling to people of other countries. Tuberculosis is one of the most common diseases that has extensive debilitating effects on the global population. The severity of the illness, coupled with poor resources and treatment adherence, can often lead to significant harm with lifelong complications. In places with limited resources, identification and diagnosis of the disease is often challenging. The case of this Nepalese man in question is surely not an uncommon one. As he traveled through numerous countries before arriving in America, he inadvertently brought along with him a strain of multi-drug resistant

A MAN'S JOURNEY FROM NEPAL TO TEXAS TRIGGERS by Veronica Bashinelli GLOBAL TB

MALE NURSES: Here to Stay

by Talia Fenster
he nursing profession was once predominantly female; however, a study by the American Community Survey reveals that the proportion of registered male nurses tripled between 1970 and 2011.

tuberculosis, also known as MDR-TB. This form of TB generally develops when patients fail to complete the full course of prescribed antibiotic treatment. Once this man was detained in Texas, it was learned that he had traveled to thirteen different countries before arriving in America. As a result, the U.S., with cooperation from other countries, has launched a widespread investigation because of the potential infection to hundreds of people on different continents. The man is now being held in quarantine until he is cured of this strain of TB. He will likely be here for months as the investigation wages on with no end in sight. In other countries, MDR-TB can be catastrophic for people who dont even have access to treatment for regular TB. Many of these countries dont have

adequate resources to treat widespread outbreaks of regular TB, let alone a multi-strain resistant form. Treatment for TB is very difficult because even after symptoms subside, these patients must stay on the extensive and potentially toxic drug regimen for up to two years in order to be cured. Thanks to many nonprofit groups, such as the Migrants Clinicians Network, continuous monitoring of TB patients until treatment completion has proven to greatly benefit patients and the likelihood of curing cases of TB, one patient at a time.
Source: Knox, R. (2013, March 8). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/ blogs/health/2013/03/07/173750840/a-mansjourney-from-nepal-to-texas-triggers-global-tbscramble?ft=1&f=103537970

Photo Credit

(Top): http://curt-rice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Male_Nurse.jpg (Bottom Left): http://www.ksby.com/images/thumbnails/3F00DE57BCD916E602634BEEB8CF59_600_600.jpg (Bottom Right):: Visuals Unlimited/Corbis

BLOOMBERG'S BAN ON SUGARY DRINKS:DENIED

by Agnieszka Gac-Chlebosz
n Monday March 11, Justice Milton A. Tingling of the State Supreme Court of Manhattan blocked Bloombergs proposed limits on large sugary drinks. According to Michael M. Grynbaum of the New York Times, businesses and consumers considered the restrictions unworkable and unenforceable with confusing loopholes and voluminous exemptions. The proposed ban would have taken effect on Tuesday March 12, banning sugary drinks any larger than 16 ounces from restaurants, theaters, and food carts. Milkshakes and dairy drinks were spared from the rules, so were drinks sold in bodegas and convenience stores. The soft-drink industry, which filed the suit, considered these proposed rules economically costly and a burden to

small businesses. They also claimed they were arbitrarily contrived. Millions of dollars were spent campaigning fiercely against the ban, with success as Justice Tingling agreed with most of their legal arguments. In May 2012, Mayor Bloomberg proposed the ban, a measure to curb obesity, as another piece of his healthminded legacy. Other measures included calorie counts at fast food restaurants and limits on trans fats. Although Justice Tingling said the Board of Health was overreaching its power by passing the ban, Bloomberg vows to appeal and win. In a press conference held after the ruling, Bloomberg stated, Ive got to defend my children, and yours, and do whats right to save lives. Obesity kills. Theres no question it kills. However,

time and public support may not be on his side. Mayor Bloombergs term comes to a close at the end of this year and 60 percent of New York City residents thought the ban was a bad idea (August 2012 New York Times poll). This denial may also put a dent in the Bloomberg era public image, which the Mayor is trying to shape, with the help of recently hired public relations advisers. Whether Bloombergs legacy stands the test of time is yet to be seen. For now, the soft-drink industry can rejoice in their success, while the Bloomberg administration gears up for an appeal that may outlast his own term.
Source: Grynbaum, M. . Retrieved from http://www. nytimes.com/2013/03/12/nyregion/judge-invalidatesbloombergs-soda-ban.html?_r=0

t has recently been revealed that a dangerous superbug poses a significant health risk in hospitals throughout the United States. The CDC Director, Dr. Thomas Frieden, calls this superbug a nightmare bacteria. Known as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, this bug is resistant to virtually all antibiotics, including antibiotics used as last resorts. CRE is deadly, having a mortality rate as high as 50%. To make matters worse, this bacteria can spread its resistance to other bacteria, especially those that are already a problem in hospitals, such as E. coli. While CRE is a risk for everyone, it is especially dangerous for those who have weaker immune systems, such as the elderly, children and patients with co-morbidities. The CDC began to be concerned about this bacteria when its proportion quadrupled over the past decade. In long term care facilities, the situation is frightening. Approximately 18% of these patients are infected with this type of bacteria. Klebsiella, a common type of CRE, has had a resistance increase from 2% to over 10%. On a brighter note, these infections are still relatively rare, and have only been seen in hospitals and long term care facilities. However, there is a major concern that they will start to move out of hospitals and into communities. An infectious disease specialist, Dr. Brad Spellberg, of the LA Biomedical Research Institute at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, has compared this bug to the Titanic. Dr. Spellberg cautions that if this bug reaches the community, thats when the ship is totally underwater and we all drown. To prevent this spread from occurring, hospitals have been asked to test patients for this superbug and isolate those that are infected, as well as sterilize everything these patients have come in contact with. Doctors have also been asked to use antibiotics more selectively to prevent bacteria from becoming a superbug. Hopefully these practices stop the spread of this deadly bacteria to a larger audience.
Source: Stein, R. (2013, March 5). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/ blogs/health/2013/03/05/173526084/infections-with-nightmare-bacteria-are-on-the-rise-in-u-shospitals?ft=1&f=103537970

SUPERBUG 'CRE' by Maria Jamelo

The percentage of male registered nurses jumped from 2.7% in 1970 to 9.6% in 2011. The amount of men among licensed practical and vocational nurses rose from 3.9% in 1970 to 8.1% in 2011. There are several explanations for this dramatic increase of men in the field. The President of the American Nurses Association, Karen Daley, suggests that in addition to being a flexible and rewarding job, nursing is a secure career with a competitive salary. Liana Christin Landivar, a sociologist at the Census Bureaus Industry and Occupation Statistics Branch, believes that the demand for long-term care and end-of-life services is due to the growth of the aging population in the United States. This necessitated the recruitment and training of more nurses to prevent the predicted shortage. Landivar concludes by asserting that these efforts have included recruiting men into nursing. Not only are men joining the profession, they are more likely to be working in the subfields with the highest salaries, such as nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists. The income difference between men and women is striking. In 2011 there were 3.5 million employed nurses. While women made up 91% of the nursing workforce, on average, men earned $60,700 a year while women earned $51,000 a year. As more men continue to join the ranks of nurses, the gender stereotype fades. Men are a positive addition, as diversity is recognized as beneficial and favorable by the patients.
Source: Payne, C. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www. usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/25/mennursing-occupatins/1947243/

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THE

Opinion

Opinion 7

STATUS POST
A Publication of the Nursing Students Press Room 525 West 425 East 25th Street New York, NY 10010

The July Effect & Novice Physicians

by Jessica Jimenez

TO FEAR OR NOT TO FEAR? :

CURING CHILDHOOD FOOD ALLERGIES

by Naresa Baksh

2013-2014 Executive Board

Jessica Jimenez President & Editor in Chief Ayla Winkler Vice President & Associate Editor Sachi Moncion Secretary & Associate Editor Ashley Decter Treasurer & Associate Editor Dr. Donald Smith, PhD, RN Advisor

Cartoon Credit: http://bestclipartblog.com/clipart-pics/doctor-clip-art-5.jpg

The Status Post May 2013 Editorial Board

Copyeditors Perri Steiner Meira Rosenthal Jessica Cham Devora Shteierman Emily Eckman Carina McLoughlin Staff Writer & Contributors Hoi Wong Erica Sanchez Jasmin Zaman Darren Panicali Kiana Piedrahita Veronica Bashinelli Agnieszka Gac-Chlebosz Maria Jamelo Talia Fenster Jessica Jimenez Neresa Baksh Jason Leung Eleni Manaloto** Maria Bea Almendrala

hatever you do, dont get sick in July - is the joke that Kevin Charles Redmon brings to light as this is the season of first-time doctors in hospitals. Novice physicians are often feared for their lack of experience. Especially when being treated in a teaching hospital, it can be quite difficult to wrap yourself around the idea that a new doctor is going to be treating you or your loved one. The level of concern we have with new residents are most definitely comprehensible. However, to what extent is this fear based on fact? Studies have shown that the fear related to new doctors is in fact overblown. These studies termed the July Effect studies, have demonstrated that the outcomes of procedures performed by inexperienced residents are not as bad as we paint them out to be. A research team consisting of radiologists and neurosurgeons from the Mayo Clinic, decided to do an immensely large study that analyzed the outcomes of over one million spinal surgery patients over the span of eight years. Radiologist Jennifer McDonald explains that the purpose of the study was to identify if patients who received spinal surgeries during July were more likely to experience any complications, be transferred to

long-term care facilities, or die as opposed to patients who received surgery in a month such as February. The results were indeed surprising. The amount of poor outcomes in July only increased by tenths of a percent. The study was performed in both teaching and non-teaching hospitals and it was found that overall, teaching hospitals had worse outcomes. However, again, the increase in poor outcomes as McDonald explains was only but a negligible increase. Bringing these facts to ones attention can make you realize that perhaps there is very little to fear. Yes, these new doctors have little if no experience. However, we need to allow them the opportunity of gaining experience somehow. At some point, every doctor was a novice but through practice, they have become skilled at their profession. Our health system has created very rigorous policies that help impede and prevent extremely negative outcomes so I think its only fair that we put a little more trust in that system so that we can learn to trust our firsttime doctors and give them a chance.
Source: Redmon, K. C. (2013, February 26). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.npr. org/blogs/health/2013/02/26/172993777/shouldyou-fear-the-july-effect-of-first-time-doctors-athospitals?ft=1&f=103537970

Cartoon credit: Left: http://www.photosearch.com Right: http://enotamountainretreat.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/food-allergy-clipart.jpg

arents today are facing an issue that was rarely seen before: childhood food allergies. According to the New York Times, the rate of childhood food allergies have more than doubled in the past decade. Parents are faced with the potentially fatal risk of their child going into anaphylactic shock if they accidentally consume or come into contact with trace amounts of an allergen. Many parents, like Kim Yates Grosso, live in constant fear of their child having a severe attack. At the same time, children with food allergies, like Grossos nine year old daughter, Tess, live with multiple restrictions, worry, and fear for their safety. Tess suffers from multiple severe food allergies, as well as post-traumatic

stress from two instances when she nearly died at the age of seven. However, there might be hope for parents and children who live with the dangerous reality of food allergies. An associate professor of allergies and immunology at Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital, Kari Nadeau M.D./Ph.D., has been working on new research that can change the future of childhood allergies. Clinical trials have shown that people can be desensitized to a single allergen, but Dr. Nadeau was determined to test whether children can be desensitized to multiple allergens. After joining forces with a group of involved parents, Nadeau was able to raise over $6.2 million, including

grants and donations, to fund two multiallergy trials with 85 patients each. Each child could be desensitized to up to five allergens. As part of the desensitization process, children in the trial take minute doses of their allergens every day for months, gradually increasing doses until they build up tolerance. After three years in the study, Tess was finally able have a regular birthday cake, pizza, and ice cream with her family. Many parents in the trial hope that when Nadeaus current studies have been completed and tested on a larger scale, it can eventually lead to FDA treatments.
Source: Thernstrom, M. (2013, March 7). Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/10/magazine/can-a-radical-new-treatment-save-childrenwith-severe-allergies.html?src=me&ref=general&_ r=0

Features

Features 9
major chain of pharmacies has introduced an innovative service to link patients with pharmacists. Often patients who are in the hospital have drug regimens that they are following at home. While in the hospital these patients are given additional prescriptions to take upon discharge. Each drug has their own set of instructions and many patients find it difficult to organize, remember and understand their many medications. The major drug retailing chain, Walgreens, has implemented a program that collaborates with hospitals to assist the public with maintaining medication regimens. This system creates a bridge between the pharmacy and the hospital to remove incompatible and repetitious prescriptions. Pharmacists will be able to review and educate patients on specific instructions, risks and guidelines. This will allow the patient a better understanding of their medications and ensuring a greater chance of compliance. Though this new system maybe an additional cost to hospitals it can decrease the risk for medication noncompliance. When patients are confused and do not understand their medication orders they are at risk for a return hospital visit. With Medicare patients, this can be a great issue because Medicares policy states that it will not pay for health care if the patient returns to the hospital within thirty days. If a trend is found within a hospital, Medicare will cease payments. This program will not only help the patients, but it will also help the hospital by decreasing patient readmission.
Source: Whitney, E. . Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/ blogs/health/2013/02/20/172125025/why-the-hospitalwants-the-pharmacist-to-be-your-coach

Coached by the Pharmacist

by Eleni Manaloto

PORTRAIT OF A NURSE:
Menchu de Luna Sanchez
by Jason Leung

Left: Nurse de Luna Sanchez Bottom: Nurse de Luna Sanchez Right: (Photo Credit): http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/12/20/ business/Perelman1/Perelman1-tmagArticle.jpg

Photo Credit: Top: http://www.higherlegal.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Walgreens.jpg Middle Left: http://images.onset.freedom.com/ocregister/article/mv39zr-b781201069z.120131022141445000gla1gj73t.2.jpg Middle Right: http://dreamcatchersforabusedchildren.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/8260228-man-blowing-whistle-andmaking-a-stop-gesture.jpg Bottom: http://allhealthcare.monster.com/nfs/allhealthcare/attachment_images/0002/9367/pharmacist_crop380w.jpg?1269900710

fter surging waters from the East River took out the electrical generators at NYU Langone Medical Center during Superstorm Sandy, the nurses knew that within hours, the ventilators keeping the newborns alive would stop working. Menchu de Luna Sanchez, a 56-year-old registered nurse, devised a plan to relocate 20 high-risk babies to other intensive care units around the city. She organized NICU nurses, doctors, and respiratory therapists to evacuate the babies down eight flights of stairs using

only cell phones to light the way. The staff worked as a team swaddling each baby, pumping oxygen, and carrying monitors and IV bags. While she and six other nurses worked diligently throughout the night to assure that the newborns were safely transferred, her home in Secaucus, New Jersey was flooded by the Hackensack River. By the end of her shift, Sanchez had climbed up and down the stairwell three times and rode with four babies to other hospitals. Sanchez, a native of the

Philippines, immigrated to the United States in the 1980s where she has worked as a nurse in New York for 25 years. On February 11th, President Barack Obama recognized Sanchez at the State of the Union Address for her heroic act. The experience that night is unimaginable to think about now, but saving lives comes very naturally when situations like these arise, Sanchez said. She hopes to set a good example for others and inspire them to do good things within their own communities.

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student Life

Student Life

11

National Student Nurses Association:

by Maria Bea Almendrala

Annual National Convention 2013

Universitys Dr. Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk talk about energy management and health promotion for healthcare providers. Dr. Melnyk featured the video Where in the Hell is Matt? to get people of their seats and dancing, a practice that would soon make its way to the delegates meetings and resolutions hearings. Throughout the day, various focus sessions were going on where attendees could hear from experts in the field about nursing leadership, career development, and other interesting topics. The highlight of the evening was the informal resolutions hearing where HBSON student and NSNA Vice President-elect Kate Garzero took the entire delegation by storm with her resolution entitled, In support of the establishment of wellness programs by healthcare institutions to prevent, manage, and educate about obesity among healthcare workers. The resolution stirred up serious debate from both sides of the argument and Garzero handled herself exceptionally well, representing our school with quick wit and steadfast determination. The next morning was the formal voting event for the first half of resolutions, where Kate once again took the stand for her resolution. After another heated debate and many attempts by dissenters to discredit or change the resolution, it came to a vote and passed. This was a great victory for Kate and HBSON as it featured exactly the kind of grit and innovation New Yorkers are known for. With that stressful event over with, it was time to enjoy the exhibit hall where we stocked up on freebies, handed out and acquired business cards, asked about other schools nursing programs, and signed up for a couple of exciting giveaway contests. The next big event for that day was the candidates hearing where they explained their platforms and answered tough questions from the Nominations and Elections Committee about their leadership experience and plans for the position should they be elected. Stanley carried himself well under the spotlight and delivered a strong case for why he should be the Director for the East region. It was a proud moment for HBSON as Stanley was the first student from our school to run for a national position with the NSNA. To cap off an already long day, the second half of informal resolutions hearings lasted almost until midnight with the resolution once again from HBSON causing quite a stir with the delegation. NSNA President Raphael Buyo and self, or just to show a stand of solidarity. It was another proud moment for our school to show such strength and unity in the face of adversity. The authors had a long night ahead of them to try and edit the resolution in order to create a watertight package that would accommodate some changes but still remain true to the spirit of the original resolution. On the last day of the convention, nerves were on high alert as elections for the national positions and the final resolutions hearing took place. This day turned out to be a more difficult day to win as HBSONs second resolution failed to be passed by the delegation despite ardent debate on the necessity of the resolutions passing. It was not a complete loss, however, as delegates from other states approached us soon after expressing their disbelief of the voting results and to offer support. Though it was a heartbreaking result, it was also a great learning experience that only strengthened our resolve for future resolutions. As for the elections, the position of NSNA Director for the East region ultimately went to a delegate from Pennsylvania who was backed by the sheer number of delegates from his school and state. Stanley was a graceful candidate and focused on the experience of running for a national position rather than the outcome. Students flew back to New York the next day full of fond memories with friends, stories to share with people from back home, and a new appreciation for what it meant to be a student nurse and member of the NSNA. We extend our warmest gratitude to Dean McCain for giving us the opportunity to participate in the convention; to Dr. Smith for being our generous faculty advisor; and to Michelle Persaud for helping us with whatever problem came up throughout the trip. Thank you all for a wonderful experience.

NSNA Vice
President-elect Kate Garzero took the entire delegation by storm.
NSNA Secretary-elect Bea Almendrala presented the resolution entitled, Supporting state legislation which would place a sales tax and a portion size cap on sugar-sweetened beverages to decrease the incidence of overweight and obesity. The resolution was met with many dissenters, so much in fact that the debate had to be taken off the floor where it continued for close to an hour. Here, the camaraderie and passion for advocacy displayed by HBSON students shone through in the midst of heavy arguments and loud disagreement. It seemed like the entire delegation from HBSON was on deck to support the authors of the resolution, whether to organize the debates, take down notes, offer words of support for the resolution it-

pring break wasnt quite over for a group of lucky HBSON students when they represented their school and New York State at the National Student Nurses Associations 61st Annual National Convention in Charlotte, NC. The Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing arrived at convention with a big agenda that included a poster presentation, two resolutions and the first candidate from our school to run for a national position with the NSNA. By the end of the four-day event, our students had earned a reputation for controversy, tenacity, and camaraderie among their fellow student nurses.

On Wednesday, April 3rd the convention kicked off with an opening ceremony that emphasized the importance of The HEALTHY Campaign: Healing, Enlightening, And Loving The Healthy You. The keynote speaker was UCLAs Dean of Nursing Dr. Courtney Lyder, who delivered an energizing presentation on perseverance and believing in each individuals ability to affect change in the nursing profession. Dr. Lyder urged everyone to reject the naysayers and empower each other to reach their highest potential. Uplifted by this positive note, the convention attendees enjoyed a night of Zumba and dancing

before the real work began the next day. Bright and early the next day, attendees gathered at their states respective caucus rooms to support their candidates running for national positions and also to hear what the candidates from other states had to say. HBSONs very own Stanley T. Wilson II eyed the NSNA Director-East position while NSANYS President Kelly LaMattina from Molloy College ran for the Nominations and Elections Committee East position; both candidates presented strong platforms grounded on teamwork, cooperation, and communication. After the state caucuses, attendees listened to Ohio State

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Arts & LeisureS

THUMBS-UP

by Carl Elbing retreived from www.nursetoons.com

GOSSIP

by Carl Elbing retreived from www.nursetoons.com