Updates from the 41st Annual Midwest Nursing Research Society Conference

Earlier this month, Jonas Scholars attended the 41^st Annual Midwest Nursing Research Society Conference, which was held in Minneapolis, MN and shared their experience with us.

Jonas Scholar Alumni Advisory Council member Nicole Gibson, DNP, RN, NP-C, Clinical Assistant Professor & Family Nurse Practitioner, South Dakota State University, shared the below image of Jonas Scholar Marcia Shade who presented her poster on “Pain and Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Rural Community-Dwelling Older Adults.”

Gibson also shared the below image of Scholars and Alumni at the Reception:

Sarah Oerther is a Jonas Nurse Leader Scholar who is currently enrolled as a PhD student at the School of Nursing, Saint Louis University. She also attended MNRS and shared her thoughts on this conference below:

“This week I got back from the Midwest Nursing Research Society 41^st Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The greatest benefits of attending this conference were the opportunity to build my professional network through face to face interactions and to increase my awareness of emerging trends to ‘harness big data and nursing science to improve health.’

This was my second year to be involved in the Emerging Scholars Network (ESN). The leadership of MNRS established the ESN to promote early career nursing scholars to connect professionally and establish themselves as leaders. Last year I was a liaison for my school, and this year I was elected to serve as secretary on the ESN Board of Directors. As a PhD student, I am excited for the opportunity to engage in national leadership through ESN.

I attended many great sessions. My favorite session was, “Editors Special Session: Successful Authors Avoid Common Reasons Manuscripts are Rejected.” Dr. Susan Henly, editor-in-chief of Nursing Research, encouraged novice writers to start every paper from scratch and warned against cutting and pasting from a grant. The need for clean and clear tables for research reports was also discussed, and “Presenting Your Findings: A Practical Guide for Creating Tables,” Sixth Edition, was suggested by the speakers as one useful resource. According to the speakers, this book provides very clear and detailed guidance on the most appropriate way to format a table. And of course, I’ve purchased my copy, and I’m excited to read it for myself!

The last night of the conference, we enjoyed a fantastic networking reception for Jonas Nurse Scholars. It was a treat to meet other Jonas Scholars from universities throughout the Midwest, and I also enjoyed the opportunity to expand my professional network by talking with Jonas Alumni Advisory Board members. I am looking forward to reconnecting with Jonas Nurse Scholars at our October meeting in Washington, D.C., and I am continually inspired and encouraged by the impact the Jonas Center is having on the field of nursing!

This conference provided me with ‘extra motivation’ to work hard on my research as I wrap up the spring semester and begin a season of independent study this summer. As a member of the Jonas Center family, I am looking forward to staying involved in this organization for years to come!”