CNSA National Conference Brings Exciting News for College of Nursing Students

This year the 2014 National Conference was held in Vancouver the week of January 20th and several students from the Regina and Saskatoon Campus were in attendance. Attendees were given the opportunity to listen to keynote speakers, to spend time interacting with fellow students and healthcare workers and to take part in various breakout sessions on a range of topics.

When asked about the conference, Regina Campus 3rd year BSN student Nicholas Fudger replied, "The theme of the conference in Vancouver was Envision, Create, Innovate. I know I speak for my fellow associates joining me at the conference when I say the guest speakers gave us the opportunity to think about challenging the status quo and envisioning a greater future for ourselves and our clients. Attending the conference enabled us to envision a world where nursing care takes hold within a clinical and in everyday life. The conference gave us a chance to create new ways for us to look at the world, through the eyes of the clients and the co-workers we interact with. During the sessions, we were given the opportunity to innovate our own ideas and thoughts as to how we can produce a better world as future nurses and as students for the betterment of clients everywhere."

3rd year BSN student Lindsey Vold from the Saskatoon Campus speaks highly of her experience at the conference. "The CNSA National Conference is a great opportunity to network with students, employers and organizations from around the country. Every time I attend the conference, I learn something new about nursing and how wonderfully diverse the profession is. I leave the conference with new found motivation and enthusiasm for my education and future career."

"Being able to attend the 2014 CNSA National Conference was one of the most inspirational experiences of my life," said 2nd year BSN student Justin Eisenkirch from the Regina Campus. "Being a local-to-global thinker, it was amazing to make the local to national connection. I found it exhilarating being surrounded by so many like-minded nursing students."

Not only was the conference a great experience for those who attended, some very exciting news arose at the end of the 4 day conference when it was announced the 2015 National Conference will be held in Regina, SK, hosted by our very own U of S Regina Campus! "Being the face of the University of Saskatchewan, while presenting the 2015 bid to over 700 like-minded nursing students was an experience I will never forget," said Eisenkirch. "After presenting the U of S Regina Campus's bid to host the 2015 National Conference, I was flooded with positive feedback from fellow students from around the country. I could not stop thinking about what an amazing opportunity it would be to showcase everything the new campus has achieved in the last couple of years and I felt it was the perfect time to demonstrate to the nation how amazing our program is." The theme developed for the 2015 National Conference is Inspire Excellence-Promoting superior quality care, to unleash the full potential of everyone.

The good news doesn't stop there. Not only was the Regina Campus successful in their application to host the conference, Justin was also named the 2015 CNSA National Conference Director! When asked about the appointment, Eisenkirch replied, "Upon being elected to the Board of Directors by my cohorts from around the country, I was overwhelmed with pride, for my university and my career. The minutes leading up to the announcement were the longest moments in my life. Being recognized for your hard work is one of the most amazing feelings one could wish for, but when other people in your field feel the same passion you do, you cannot help but feel truly blessed. I am so honoured to be a student of the University of Saskatchewan and I can't wait to show the rest of Canada how truly amazing we all are." When asked about the exciting announcements, Nicholas Fudger stated, "I feel extremely elated about the vision Justin has for our campus and the conference and I know this will provide an excellent opportunity for us to show how as a College, we can truly, Inspire Excellence for the future."

Congratulations to everyone at the Regina Campus! The College looks forward to hosting this prestigious event in January 2015.

About the CNSA
For over forty years the CNSA has been the national voice of Canadian nursing students representing their interests to federal, provincial and international governments and to other nursing and health care organizations. The CNSA's goal is to increase the legal, ethical, professional and educational aspects, all of which are integral parts of nursing. The CNSA is actively dedicated to the positive promotion of nurses and the nursing profession as a whole. For more information on the CNSA, please visit http://www.aeic.ca/english/.