More than 5,000 future nurses, Nursing Student Association alumni and faculty from around the world will flock to Penn beginning today for the 50th annual Nursing Convention.
The convention will last from April 3-7 and will draw in possibly the largest influx of nurses that this campus has ever seen.
Last year, the convention took place in Nashville, Tenn., and while the Philadelphia venue offers a very different setting, organizers have recruited country singer Joe McDonald to open the convention and provide a Nashville flair and much more.
The boost in student participation within the Student Nursing Association at Penn, which has helped publicize the event, may be one of the reasons behind the excitement surrounding this year's event.
"It's the highest it's ever been," Nursing sophomore and SNAP member Ali Jaffer said.
Convention-goers are pulling out all the stops to celebrate the 50th anniversary, and on the first night of the event all will help blow out the candles on a huge birthday cake, and dance the night away at a Rock 'n Roll Party.
SNAP Publicity Chairwoman Noele Kasper, a Nursing freshman, said she is excited about attending the ceremony, particularly since many prominent University faculty will be speaking.
"It makes you proud that so many of our faculty members have been chosen to speak," Kasper said.
Included among the entourage of speakers is Penn Nursing Dean Afaf Meleis who will be discussing the globalization of healthcare. Meleis is also president of the International Council on Women's Issues. On Friday, she will address how global healthcare, culture and women's issues impact the nursing profession.
Other University faculty speakers include Nursing professors Kathy Burke, Kathy McCauley, Susan Gennaro and SNAP Faculty Advisor Diane Spatz.
Penn Nursing alumni will also be a strong presence at the conference. While the major attraction for many of these alums tends to be Nursing class reunions, some attend in order to share their real life experiences with students in the field of nursing.
Penn Nursing alumna Paula Gamble is scheduled to speak about nursing on the front line. Gamble has taken her nursing skills with her to the military, and she will expand on the diverse range of job opportunities available to nursing students.
In addition, Jaffer is presenting a resolution on the need for post-partum depression studies to be included in nursing curriculum. The resolution will undergo two days of hearings, and if approved, Jaffer will present his research during the convention and be the first Penn student to do so.
"I don't think it's a big deal," Jaffer said. "Hopefully, we'll see more participation by Penn in the future."
Kasper said that she expects Penn to score big at the awards ceremony as well. The ceremony gives credit to the faculty and students worldwide who have made contributions to the field of nursing.
