The newly formed University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Student Nurses Association (SNA) chapter captured two national awards from the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA). After the announcement of the 2020 Program Award Winners, UVI School of Nursing’s (SON) SNA was named the recipient of the Winner's Way Award and the NSNA State Excellence Award.
Three students of the SON were also named as nominees for three prestigious awards. Valdeen Croft was nominated for the NSNA Isabel Hampton Robb Leadership Award. Shaunte Rawlins was nominated for the NSNA Core Values Award and Camille Emanuel for the NSNA Ambassador Award. All three students graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in May 2020.
“This achievement also realizes the goal of the SON to provide opportunities for
students to engage in professional and leadership development opportunities that are
available through the NSNA,” said Dr. Beverly Lansiquot, dean of the School of Nursing.
The SON would have been honored for these achievements at the NSNA 68th Annual Convention in Orlando FL., in April, had the COVID-19 outbreak not occurred.
“I would like to acknowledge the effort of our faculty, Dr. Celia Nurse, who provided guidance and support to our students,” Dr. Lansiquot added.
"This is a great accomplishment for our nursing students, especially since the UVI Student Nurses Association at the SON just gained constituency status with the NSNA in August of 2019,” said Dr. Nurse.
“The UVI SNA members worked very hard to re-establish the association and have dedicated their precious time to the planning, execution and documentation of numerous fun and meaningful events,” Dr. Nurse said. “It is truly an honor to have witnessed t the hard work of our nursing students and their inspirational ability to maintain a healthy balance among their course requirements, personal responsibilities and the UVI SNA,” she said.
Since achieving state constituency status, the UVI SNA has been meeting weekly, hosting rich service and academic activities, and submitting upkept minutes to the NSNA on a monthly basis to maintain this achievement of constituency status.
As the recipient of the Winners' Way Award, UVI SNA will receive a certificate and $100. The NSNA Winners Way Award is an incentive award and is one of three membership recruitment awards for nursing schools that have achieved state constituency status and had the largest percentage of growth in membership to the NSNA.
Also, for capturing the State Excellence Award, the UVI SON will receive a Nightingale Lamp. To determine the winner of this award, all nursing schools that have achieved state constituency are automatically entered and judged according to nine-point judging criteria.
The NSNA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1952 in the United States to mentor nursing students preparing for initial licensure as a Registered Nurse and promote professional development.
Now in its 56th year, the UVI SON accreditation was reaffirmed by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The ACEN Board of Commissioners granted continuing accreditation to the UVI baccalaureate nursing program in April 2020. The SON will remain accredited for the next seven years and is scheduled for its next evaluation visit for Fall 2027.