Claire Hardin, of New Haven, left, and Brooke Phelan, of Milford, recently attended the 2015 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Student Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.
Two students from Quinnipiac University’s School of Nursingrecently attended the 2015 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Student Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.
Brooke Phelan, a junior nursing major from Milford, and Claire Hardin, a third-year student in the doctor of nursing practice program from New Haven, attended the conference March 22-24 at the Park Hyatt Washington.
The summit is open to baccalaureate and graduate nursing students enrolled at an AACN member institution. Students who attend SPS are immersed in program sessions focused on the federal policy process and nursing’s role in professional advocacy.
“It was really amazing,” Phelan said. “There were incredible speakers who spoke about health policy and health care. I felt so empowered.”
Phelan and Hardin were selected by the School of Nursing faculty to serve as ambassadors for hundreds of thousands of nursing students across the country. They visited Capitol Hill to speak to legislators about the needs of nursing students and schools.
“We were two of about 200 students attending the summit,” Hardin said. “I walked away thinking it is a really exciting time to be a nurse. It’s an exciting time to be accelerating in your career. The conference made you feel as if you were part of something big.”
Quinnipiac University’s School of Nursing offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs to nearly 700 students each year. The school’s mission is to provide leadership in nursing and health care through innovative undergraduate and graduate education that embraces holism, interprofessionalism and inclusivity. The BSN, MSN and DNP programs at Quinnipiac are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The nurse anesthesia program has been approved by the Council on Accreditation for nurse anesthesia programs.