2. BreakthroughtoNursingCommittee
AminaAiden
Director West
Arizona State University
Phoenix, AZ
JenniferKalenkoski
Breakthrough to Nursing Director
Lehigh Carbon Community College
Schnecksville, PA
KatelynFinnegan
Imprint Editor
Molloy College
Rockville Centre, NY
imprinteditor@nsnainc.orgbtndirector@nsnainc.orgdirectorw@nsnainc.org
3. Whatis
Breakthrough
toNursing?
The National Student Nurses’ Association began to gain
interest in recruiting nursing students in 1954 when faced
with a critical nursing shortage. NSNA established a
committee to do just this. A meeting held in 1964 would
mark the beginning of what is known today as the
“Breakthrough to Nursing Project” (BTN). The mission of
the Breakthrough to Nursing (BTN) project is to organize,
represent, and mentor students. With the goal of creating
nurses that are sensitive to the cultural diversity in our
society. BTN promotes the development of skills to
become responsible members of the profession who respect
the difference and similarities between people, advocates
quality care, uses the principles of transcultural nursing,
and facilities the development of peer support systems. All
of which enhance and increase recruitment and retention
into the nursing profession.
Photo Credit: 50 Years of the National Student Nurses’
Association by Diane Mancino
4. 1954 1956 1961 1963 1964 1965 1967 1970
TimelineofBreakthroughtoNursing
NSNA created a committee focused
on recruitment into nursing
NSNA Nursing recruitment Committee fostered involvement of
state and local with recruitment
1st official NSNA position
addressing racial discrimination
was passed
Plan to address recruitment of
minorities was developed
LNL Committee began to issues and limitations
related to new supplies of nursing students
Creation of national
recruitment project of
minorities, called
“Breakthrough to Nursing
Project” (BTN)
BTN project first areas were
Pittsburgh, PA; Omaha, NE;
Minneapolis, MN
BTN Project
nominated for
ANA’s Mary
Elizabeth Mahony
Award
Source:: 50 Years of the National Student Nurses’ Association
by Diane Mancino
5. 1974 1976 1977 1978 1979 1982 1985 1986
TimelineofBreakthroughtoNursing
BOD focused on retention of minority students
& sensitized public and the profession on
specific health needs of minorities
NSNA added BTN Director to the Board of
Director and urged states to follow suite
NSNA implemented the nondiscrimination
clause in the bylaws; minority recruitment on
state and school levels; publicity of BTN in
Imprint
NSNA BOD supported affirmative
action programs until all
applications could compete equallyNSNA to work on eliminating sex discrimination
and encourage nursing schools to include divesrve
health needs of pluralist society Addressed needs of disabled students; supporting
nondiscriminatory practices; encourage programs to
include transcultural influences on health care
BTN project expanded
to include economical &
educationally
disadvantaged students
Critical nursing
shortage brought
on a huge general
recruitment effort
Photo Credit: 50 Years of the National Student Nurses’
Association by Diane Mancino
6. 1994 1995 1997 2000 2003 2004 2005 2006
TimelineofBreakthroughtoNursing
NSNA recognizes the need
to focus on non-traditional
students (2nd career &
older students)
NSNA launched the “Nursing the Ultimate
Adventure” Campaign to interest teens in
nursing
NSNA recommended that the BTN project
participate in an Area Health Education
Center activity entitled “Nursing Students
with Style” Program
NSNA BOD supported men into
nursing and supported the inclusion
of culrutal competence education
NSNA took action to advocate for men in nursing
to work in labor and delivery NSNA supported mentoring middle, junior, and high
school students with an interest into the nursing
profession
NSNA increased
awareness of nursing
shortage and need for
nursing educators
NSNA releases
Catch the wave
Video & supports
Wisewoman
Expansion act
Photo Credit: 50 Years of the National Student Nurses’
Association by Diane Mancino
7. 2007 2009 2010 2016
TimelineofBreakthroughtoNursing
NSNA increases awareness among
students with concern of the health
disparities of migrant & seasonal
farm workers and their families
NSNA encourages global health into
cirriculum; NSNA releases the DVD “The
Career of the Lifetime”
NSNA celebrates the 45th
anniversary of The Breakthrough to
Nursing Project
The first conference
dedicated entirely to
Breakthrough to
Nursing was held in
California
Photo Credit: 50 Years of the National Student Nurses’
Association by Diane Mancino
8. Understandingtheissuesof
yesterday&Today
Item 1 ● Recruitment & Retention
● Men in Nursing
● Recruitment of Minorities
● Advocating for Quality
Care
● Mentoring and support of
all those enrolled into
nursing
● Support for non-traditional
student
● Recruitment of younger
generations
Photo Credit: 50 Years of the National Student Nurses’
Association by Diane Mancino
10. BreakthroughtoNursingProjects
Mentor/
Mentee
Program
Goals of program: ease the transition into nursing school,
provide support, enhance leadership & communication
skills, and create time management skills while
promoting bonding between students
“The mentor/mentee program is extremely important for
nursing students because of how daunting nursing
school can be to an incoming nursing student.”
-Daniel Duron, CNSA BTN Director
15-16
11. BreakthroughtoNursingProjects
High
school
Outreach
Goals of program include: Educate students on current health issues (Zika
Virus), introduce students to the nursing profession and answer any
questions about nursing.
Financial needs: Very little $ is needed to complete this program and
material donations were accepted to hand out as prizes (pens,
pencils, etc) to increase participation. There is also Johnson &
Johnson supplemental material that may be used as well.
“To me, BTN means educating
and paving nursing pathways
for minority students.”
-Demond Atem, IU South Bend
12. BreakthroughtoNursingProjects
Save-A-
Heart
Campaign
Goals of program include: Teach the
community the importance and
correct way of hands-only CPR while
also educating on blood pressure and other community health
issues.
Financial resources: Donations were accepted, little $ was used for
refreshments, & American Heart Associate collaborated and
provided instructors to help and supervise.
Length of Planning: ~4 months
“BTN to me means overcoming adversity, pursuing opportunities
that help us continue to grow as nurses and human beings, and
actively making a difference in the lives of others”
- Melissa Byrne, Sacramento State
University
13. BreakthroughtoNursingProjects
Scrubs
camp
Goals of program include: Teach and introduce children into the
nursing profession. Stations included mini vital signs lab, hand
washing workshop, crafts, healthy snacks, and a teddy bear
clinic.
Financial resources: Rooms and teddy bears were property of the
school, snacks and candy were purchased to hand out, band-
aids/lotions/art supply was bought as well. Students used their
stethoscopes and supplies to supplement.
“BTN means reaching out to children to show them all the fun and
cool things nurses do, in hopes that this will make them want to
know more about our great profession!”
- Jamie Platt, Grand Valley State University
Photo Credit: Michigan State
14. BreakthroughtoNursingProjects
GirlScouts
Explore
Nursing
Goals of program include: Teach and
introduce children into the
nursing profession
Financial resources: Contacted the
local Girl Scouts troops to see if
they were interested, used
labs/rooms on campus, and
utilized Johnson & Johnson free
resources to make goodie bags to
give out to girl scouts.
Photo Credit: Grand Valley State University
15. BreakthroughtoNursingProjects
Breakthrough
ToNursing
Conference
Goals of program include: Explore and educate on the meaning of
Breakthrough to Nursing with a statewide collaboration that
include topics and workshops on:
TEAS testing
Diversity in Nursing
Importance of Mentorship
What is BTN
Q&A Panels
Mentorship Mixer
Financial resources: all prizes/food were donated
Length of planning: ~5 months
16. BreakthroughtoNursingProjects
Breakthrough
ToNursing
Conference
“BTN is about opportunity all around. It is opportunity for those who do not know
about nursing due to their circumstances to get a chance to learn about nursing. It is
an opportunity for students to give back to others. It is an opportunity for patients
to have more relatable caregivers. It is an opportunity for the profession to increase
its diversity and have minds from all backgrounds”
- Daniel Duron, CNSA BTN Director 15-16
Photo Credit: CNSA
17. Resourcesandtools
● BTN Guidelines for Planning
○ BTN history and background, how to start a BTN committee, and ideas for
BTN projects
● “Nursing - The Ultimate Adventure” Pamphlet
○ How to apply, different pathways, licensure requirements, salary and benefits
● Discover Nursing Career Center
○ Information about selecting a nursing school, scholarship/loan information,
career opportunities, links to nursing schools, and links nursing organizations
● Johnson & Johnson
○ www.discovernursing.com
○ Television Advertising and free materials, videos, Nurse Recruitment Videos,
Pamphlets and Posters
18. BreakthroughtoNursingAwards
● Awards for Breakthrough to Nursing Projects
on the State and School Chapter levels
● Deadline: March 10th, 2017
● http://nsnaawards.weebly.com/breakthrough-to-nursing.html
● Throwback to the start of the Breakthrough to Nursing Scholarships in
1974 when Ruth and Marjorie received their awards!
Photo Credit: 50 Years of the National Student Nurses’
Association by Diane Mancino
19. Getoutthosephones!!
Take out those phones and please take a moment to like/follow
all our Breakthrough to Nursing pages for updates on what’s
happening and information about BTN.
Facebook:NSNABreakthroughtoNursing
Instagram:@nsna_breakthroughtonursing
Twitter:@NSNA_btn
20. SocialMediaOverview
Accomplishments of Pages:
Highlight successes of
states/chapters
Forum for students to talk,
question, and seek help
Motivational tool
Outlet for information
Contact between state associations
Members
Instagram
105
Twitter
138
Facebook
35
181
Created in July 2016
21. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar.
Men in
Nursing
Timelineforrestofsocialmedia
LGBQTIA
Reaching out to
school-aged
children
Leadership
Cultural Sensitivity
Advanced projects
22. BreakthroughtoNursingVideoProject
I’m working on a Breakthrough to Nursing Video Project and need your help!
What you need to do:
Take a whiteboard and write your BTN meaning
**SIGN THE RELEASE FORM**
Smile and say cheese!
