National Student Nurses’ Association

Breakthrough to Nursing Project Guidelines

 

What is Breakthrough to Nursing?

What is the Breakthrough to Nursing Mission?

What are Breakthrough to Nursing Recruitment Tools?

Guidelines to Establish a BTN Project

Ideas for BTN Activities

 

What is Breakthrough to Nursing?

^{The goal of NSNA's Breakthrough to Nursing Project is to increase the number of qualified students enrolled in and graduated from nursing schools. The project was started in 1965 to address NSNA's concerns about:}

• ^{The adequacy of health care services for minority group members.}
• ^{The need to increase the number of minority group health care providers.}
• ^{The need to provide opportunities for minority nursing students to develop leadership skills.}
• ^{The need for the nursing education system to be more responsive to the needs of the minority group students.}

^{The Breakthrough to Nursing Project received federal funding from 1971-1977. At that time, the House of Delegates directed NSNA to continue an active leadership role in the recruitment and retention of ethnic people of color and men into schools of nursing, in accordance with NSNA bylaws and policies.}

^{The program has been adapted in many ways since its inception. NSNA has reaffirmed the need for Breakthrough to Nursing by expanding the program's scope to include: recognizing the needs of the physically challenged nursing student (1982 House of Delegates); sensitization to the health care needs of the diverse ethnic groups nursing students and nurses serve (1974 House of Delegates); increasing the number of men entering nursing programs (1969 House of Delegates); recognizing the needs of economically and educationally disadvantaged nursing students (1985 House of Delegates); recognizing and addressing the needs of the non-traditional student (1995 Board of Directors) and general recruitment and retention (1986 Board of Directors).}

^{The concerns of Breakthrough to Nursing continue to be relevant today. Recruitment/retention, minority recruitment, the number of men in the profession, young students, non-traditional students, and the need to support all enrolled in professional nursing programs are goals of BTN. Recruitment of young people into the profession is critical due to the aging of the nursing workforce.}

^{Effectiveness of the Breakthrough to Nursing Project seems due, in part, to the peer relationships that can be established between nursing students and other students. In recent years the project has been expanded to the recruitment of all qualified individuals into nursing.}

^{In order to provide direction for the Breakthrough to Nursing Project, a mission statement in keeping with NSNA's mission statement has been developed.}

^{What is the Breakthrough to Nursing Mission?}

^{The mission of the Breakthrough to Nursing Project is to:}

• ^{organize, represent, and mentor students preparing for initial licensure as registered nurses, as well as those nurses enrolled in baccalaureate completion programs, in becoming practitioners sensitive to the cultural diversity that exists in our society;}
• ^{promote the development of the skills needed to be responsible, accountable members of the nursing profession who respect the differences and similarities between people;}
• ^{advocate for high quality care, utilizing the principles of transcultural nursing;}
• ^{facilitate the development of peer support systems, which enhance recruitment and retention within the nursing profession.}

^{To implement the project, a core group of 5-10 NSNA members is needed. These students should be willing to commit themselves to work on the project for at least a year. The first task is to gather information about the nursing schools in the area, about admissions requirements, length and type of program, and financial assistance available.}

^{Groups of nursing students can then go out to speak with potential nursing students by arranging meetings through local junior and senior high school counselors, churches, boys and girls clubs, or other community contacts. Information provided to junior and senior high school students should include:}

• ^{What nursing is really about (i.e. the values of nurses and nursing’s contract with society);}
• ^{Career opportunities in nursing;}
• ^{The academic prerequisites and grades required for nursing school admission;}
• ^{Personal attributes needed for professional nursing (i.e., good interpersonal skills).}

^{Interested students can then be contacted individually by nursing students. Follow-up should be continued with these students until they are enrolled into nursing school or decide that nursing is not what they want.}

^{As an incentive, NSNA offers a scholarship program that includes scholarships for ethnic people of color. In addition, awards are given for projects conducted by NSNA school and state constituents.* The awards are presented during the Awards Ceremony at the Annual NSNA Convention.}

^{The Breakthrough to Nursing Project should play a major role in every state chapter and school association. BTN has proven to be one of the major avenues by which nursing students can work in a unified way to improve the quality of nursing care given to diverse cultural groups, thus making nursing a more visible and attractive profession.. The BTN Project can play a major role to interest student in nursing during the growing nursing shortage.}

^{What are Breakthrough to Nursing Recruitment Tools?}

^{“Nursing-The Ultimate Adventure” Video and Pamphlet}

^{The NSNA has a new video available for use by BTN Committees. Nursing-The Ultimate Adventure, is free of charge to all schools that have official NSNA chapters and BTN committees (student members of the BTN committee must be NSNA members). The video (10 minutes long) is designed to interest junior high school students (and early senior high school students) in a nursing career. Informative literature is provided to give to students after they view the video. To obtain the video, contact NSNA headquarters.}

^{Discover Nursing Career Center on www.nsna.org}

^{NSNA is developing a Career Center on www.nsna.org. The Career Center is for both students interested in a nursing career and for nursing students planning their careers. Junior and senior high school students can find general information about nursing careers and directly access nursing school web sites. Here’s a preview of what this page will include.}

^{Nursing-The Ultimate Adventure Information for junior and high school students interested in going to nursing school. Information about nursing opportunities, how to apply for nursing school, and educational pathways for nursing education.}

^{If you are a licensed practical nurse, nurses’ aid, working in an allied health field or want a second career…nursing may be for you.}

^{Planning your Nursing Career page:}

^{Resource for senior nursing students, new graduates, and registered nurses.}

^{How to Choose the Right First Job by Cynthia} Saver

^{The job outlook for new graduates is bright but how do you determine the right job for you?}

^{Tips on Getting the Job You Want by Paul Walden}

^{The employment outlook for new graduates is promising, as we currently find ourselves in a nursing shortage similar to that of the early nineties.}

^{Learn from nursing leaders what nursing leadership is all about. Discount for NSNA members.}

^{Includes grad schools in US and other countries, and distance learning programs.}

^{Guidelines to Establish a BTN Project}

^{The following guidelines will assist school and state constituents to establish and maintain a Breakthrough to Nursing Project:}

^{The first step is for school chapters and state associations to appoint a BTN chairperson who will be responsible for implementing the project. The BTN chairperson's role and responsibilities should be included in the association's bylaws to insure continuity from year to year.}

^{Obtain faculty support for the project. Many schools have faculty committees that address student recruitment and retention issues. Be sure there is a student representative (preferably the BTN chair) on this committee.}

^{Establish a BTN committee of at least five members. On the state level, each person would be assigned a respective region in which to work with school chapters to implement the project. On the school level, each committee member can adopt a junior or senior high school to establish a liaison to facilitate the introduction of the project into the school.}

^{Monitor BTN activities on the national, state, and school levels by communicating regularly with other BTN representatives.}

^{Keep abreast of current nursing school enrollment, quality of the applicants, and graduation statistics in your school and region to assess the project for its effectiveness and needed modifications.}

^{Search for sources of funding for the project; provide creative incentives for participants.}

^{Submit articles to school and state newsletters to inform others of the BTN Project's accomplishments and upcoming activities; post a "What is Breakthrough to Nursing?" flyer on the bulletin board.}

^{Contact local radio and television stations and arrange interviews about nursing.}

^{Contact local newspapers and offer information about nursing. Write letters to the editor about nursing opportunities in your community.}

^{Before leaving office, leave a list of guidelines and recommendations for the incoming BTN chairperson and committee members.}

^{Submit a bylaws amendment at the state convention to have the BTN director included in the state bylaws as an elected or appointed position on the Board of Directors.}

^{In addition to seeking potential nursing students at junior and senior high schools, look for other groups of people who may be interested in a nursing career. Focus especially on the populations targeted by BTN. Use your imagination to plan projects appropriate to them.}

^{Network with other area schools to share project and promotional ideas.}

 

^{Ideas for BTN Activities}