Volume 3, Issue 5 November/ December 2015

A P U B L I C A T I O N
O F T H E
D U Q U E S N E
U N I V E R S I T Y
S T U D E N T
N U R S E S ’
A S S O C I A T I O N

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 Who We Are

We are members of the Duquesne University Student Nurses Associa-

tion. All views expressed are our own and do not represent the views
of Duquesne University or Duquesne University School of Nursing.

We are members of the BSN Programs at Duquesne University. We

love health! We love patients! We love to write!

The Scope is the proud recipient of the 2013 and 2014 Student Nurses
Association of Pennsylvania Excellent Newsletter Award.

We would love to hear your thoughts on our newsletter! Please email

all letters to the editor to Bridget Seelinger, at dusnapublici-
ty@hotmail.com. All letters to the editor must include name, contact
info, and major.

Like us on Facebook and check out our blog at

DuquesneScope.wordpress.com

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Image from clk-
er.com
Table of Contents
Midyear, an Outstanding Start to a Nursing Career Page 4
Bridget gives her review of NSNA’s Midyear Convention

Success at SNAP! DUSNA achieved in Harrisburg Page 5

Holly talks about her first SNAP Convention

Nurse-Patient Ratios Page 6

Brooke discusses this hot-button issue

Nursing Care of TBIs: Beyond Visible Injuries Page 7

Chelsea evaluates this important nursing profession

Want to get involved in AIDS Awareness? Page 8

Sarah tells us what is going on around the city

Ugly Sweater Special Page 9

Peppermint, Seasonal and Beneficial Page 10
Ashley explores this valuable herb

The Ins and Outs of Diabetes Page 11

Ashley explores this valuable herb

News Page 12
Healthy Recipe– Vegan Thumbprint Cookies Page 12
Elizabeth shares a variation of her grandmother’s recipe

Nursing Horoscopes Page 13

NCLEX Nook Page 14
Want to get more involved? Page 15
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Midyear, an Outstanding Start to a Nursing Career
Bridget Seelinger, Editor and DUSNA Publicity Chair, senior
Duquesne sent three representatives to the National Student Nurses Association annual Midyear Career Planning
Conference, held in the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta earlier this month. It was a fantastic conference filled
with workshops, inspirational lectures, networking opportunities, and delicious southern food.

After cruising into Atlanta’s airport in the early afternoon of No-

vember 5th, Duquesne headed to a Pharmacology Made Insane-
ly Easy workshop where they learned fun techniques for re-
membering complicated lists of drug interactions and side ef-
fects. Some of these techniques involved Pharma-karaoke and
mnemonics. It was a fun workshop and very helpful for the
Pharmacology HESI test!

The keynote address was next and it was one of the most pow-
erful keynotes that NSNA has had in a while. Called
“Compassion Energy- the Honor of Caring” and presented by
Sally Karioth who is the assistant dean of Florida State Universi-
ty School of Nursing, this speech had an impact on every mem-
ber of the audience. Karioth spoke about her experiences as a
nurse working in the early days of pediatric oncology and how
she learned the importance of providing for the family, as well
as the patient. She said that what separated nurses from “little
doctors” was this aspect of caring and empathy, and being that patient advocate. The audience was simultaneous-
ly laughing and crying as she talked about the grieving process and the nurse’s role in that process. It was an
amazing speech which was only made more impactful by what followed it.
Following this incredible speech was a memorial service for the five Georgia
Southern University nursing students who were killed in an automobile acci-
dent as they returned from clinical. Friends of these students spoke about the
lives of their friends and one of the first responders spoke about how this acci-
dent has affected her nursing career. It was a very moving ceremony.

The next day included the grand opening of the exhibit hall where students
were able to mingle with potential employers and explore educational opportu-
nities. There was a general session called “Emerging Infectious Diseases: Global
Impact- Local Consequences” which featured Crystal Johnson, one of the nurses
who cared for the Ebola patients in Atlanta and Mary Lou Manning who is presi-
dent of the Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
Both spoke about their experiences with Ebola and Johnson, in particular, pro-
vided some inspirational insight as to why she chose to take care of patients who were sick with something as
dangerous as Ebola. She spoke about how the nursing staff provided for the psychosocial aspect of these patient’s
care such as playing games with the patients and holding their hands. The rest of the day concluded with co-
current sessions which featured topics for career building and improving one’s local chapter.

The final day of the convention notably included nursing specialty panels where students could hear about a vari-
ety of nursing specialties including but not limited to Neonatal Nursing, Forensic Nursing, Nurse-Midwifery, Criti-
cal Care Nursing, and Holistic Nursing. It was very helpful and informative for students considering graduate
school. Following the panels, there were sessions on Human Trafficking, Bylaws and Policies, Nurse Safety and
Patient Care, and NSNA Leadership. All of these sessions were very informative and intriguing.
The Midyear convention was a fantastic way to get advice for career planning and discover unique opportunities
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within nursing. It was also a great to hear from inspirational nurses within the profession, not to mention how
fantastic it was to be in downtown Atlanta! Midyear convention was a lot of fun and highly suggested next year!
Success at SNAP! DUSNA Achieved in Harrisburg
Holly Storm, freshman
Hundreds of student nurses coming from all different pro-
grams and schools met in Harrisburg Pennsylvania on Novem-
ber 18th to November 20th for the Student Nurses Association
of Pennsylvania Annual Convention. During the days of conven-
tion, the student nurses went to business meetings, keynote
speakers, workshops, resolutions hearings, and candidates’
presentations. Each school that was attending the conference
had delegates able to vote in the matters brought to the con-
vention.

The business meetings were three meetings throughout the

two main days of the convention. The first meeting was to call
to order the convention, bring up opening matters, and ask if
anyone wanted to run for a position on the board of directors.
The second was to make sure no one else wanted to run for a
position, and the final meeting was to vote on the resolutions Sarah Dudley accepts a Freshman Scholarship/
and announce the new board of directors. Photo by Dr. Mark Crider

The keynote speaker at the convention was Dr. Loretta Sweet Jemmott who spoke on her experiences to becom-
ing a leader in nursing. Dr. Jemmott is the Vice President of Health and Health Equity and Professor of Health
Professions at Drexel University. She has worked with HIV/AIDS prevention and how to develop, facilitate, and
promote positive changes in health behaviors. Her speech was invigorating and inspiring.

There were two sessions of workshops throughout the

two main days of convention. The first session had four
topics to choose from including “Your Journey and Your
Ride: Becoming the Leader You Want to Be”, “No Capes
Needed, Finding the Courage to Lead: Conquering Chal-
lenges to Reap Rewards”, and “Hate Having a Boss? Me,
Too! Start Your Own Company”. The Second session of
Workshops included “PA Action Coalition: Championing
Nursing’s Future, Building Your Own Yellow Brick
Road”, and “Diversity in the Nursing Workforce and
Why it Matters”. All the topics in the workshops dealt
with leadership in the nursing field whether it be the
challenges that will be faced on the way or how to deal
with the fear that comes with being a leader in the nurs-
ing field. These workshops were very helpful for career
planning and I found myself intrigued by many of the
topics.

The resolutions and candidate’s presentations were a large majority of the last day of convention. The candidates
for each position had to give a two-minute speech on why they are running and what they can do the SNAP board
if they are elected. After the speeches were given there was Meet the Candidates and voting. Then there was the
resolutions hearing where eleven resolutions were brought before the delegates and presented. This included a
reading of the resolved statements, or what the authors should be done about the issues written about, and an
opening statement given by the authors. Though there was also time to debate the resolutions, there was almost
no debating and amazingly all eleven resolutions were passed. DUSNA’s resolution on intersex infants was
passed with unanimous support. 5
See more on page 15!
Nurse-Patient Ratios: A Problem Yesterday and Today
Brooke Calta, junior
Rising acuity of patients and shorter hospitals
stays over the past few years can only mean one
thing… a growing need for registered nurses. The
continually growing shortage plus reductions in
hospital nursing budgets means another thing…
fewer nurses working longer hours (*nursing stu-
dents cringe here*). Because of the shortage,
there is a huge concern regarding nurse to patient
ratios and the safety risks associated with it. Be-
sides the risks for patient safety, poor ratios can
negatively impact the mental and physical well-
being of nurses.
According to the American Nurses Association,
50% of nurses report that they aren’t able to
spend enough time with patients, and 33% of nurses report that staffing levels are simply inadequate. This
feedback from caregivers themselves is evidence that workloads of nurses are becoming heavier, and
burnouts are becoming all too common. Inadequate staffing, and therefore increased stress in employees,
has been shown to result in increased medication er-
rors, nosocomial infections, injuries, and even longer
hospital stay. So by reducing nursing budgets, hospitals
end up paying additional funds for adverse events?
Makes sense.
Steps are slowly being taken. In April of 2015, the Reg-
istered Nurse Safe Staffing Act was introduced by 3
members of congress which requires Medicare-
participating hospitals to have a committee made up of
at least 55% of direct patient care nurses to create
staffing plans for each unit. According to the ANA, there
is a staggering 20% decrease in hospital deaths when
nurses are a part of the staffing committees…wrap
your brain around that one.
What can nurses, or any healthcare workers, do to
make matters better? Write to your congressional rep-
resentatives and push for more legislation to improve
nurse staffing. Take your personal experiences related
to short staffing and share them with the ANA as they take steps towards legislative success. Lastly, en-
courage friends, family, and co-workers to take action as well. As legislation develops and hospitals step of
their staffing game, nurses’ workloads will be lightened, their bodies will be less fatigued, they will stick
around longer and likely be more satisfied with their role in helping others. More importantly, patients will
be more satisfied with their care, and additional lives will be saved.

Photos from National Nurses United and the American Nurses Association
Nursing Care of TBIs: Beyond the Visible Injuries
Chelsea Kwong, senior
For the past year, I have had the unique opportunity of working as a
patient care technician on a brain injury rehabilitation unit.
Throughout my time there, I have witnessed the devastating effects
of traumatic brain injuries (TBI), which include emotional and/or
physical disturbances. However, I have also been a witness to the
amazing results of intensive therapy. It is a delight to see a patient
walk that was unable to do so three weeks ago. Traumatic brain in-
juries are among the most complex injuries that the human body
can experience, and it take special nursing skills to effectively care
for these patients (at every step of the way!).
The most common ways that one acquires a TBI are through falls, motor vehicle crashes, sudden blows to the
head, and assaults.1 TBI’s are classified as either mild or severe. Mild TBI’s are classified as such “if confusion
and/or disorientation is shorter than 30 minutes”2. These individuals can experience several cognitive effects,
such as “headache, difficulty thinking, memory problems, attention deficits, mood swings, and frustrations”. Se-
vere TBI’s are associated with “loss of consciousness for more than 30 minutes and memory loss after the inju-
ry…longer than 24 hours”. They can have a very significant on the individual’s ability to function socially.
Nurses will most often encounter these patients in intensive care, emergency, and rehabilitation settings. Much
of nursing care goes beyond such measures as maintaining intracranial pressure at a safe level, tending to visi-
ble structural injuries, etc. Nurse often find themselves providing education to the patient in families in regards
to potential life changes. Particularly, the nurse may be charged with finding support groups and counseling for
those affected by the injury. Traumatic brain
injuries can be very stressful for spouses of
injured individuals, as they now find them-
selves suddenly becoming a caregiver, and los-
ing their equal partner both physically and
cognitively. Patients with TBI’s may find that
they cannot work, or aid in taking care of their
children. All outcomes can be extremely stren-
uous for patients and their families, and it is
important for the nurse to educate and sup-
port at this time.
Traumatic brain injuries can be extremely
traumatic and life changing. However, with
proper nursing care, the journey from hospi-
talization to discharge can be much less
stressful on those who matter most: the pa-
tient and their loved ones.
1n.a. (2015). Facts about traumatic brain injury. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.brainline.org/content/2008/07/facts-about-traumatic-brain-injury.html.

2 n.a. (2013). What is TBI? Head Injury Association. Retrieved from http://www.lihia.org/tbi.html.

3 Zimlich, Rachael. (2014). Nursing interventions in traumatic brain injury go beyond the patient. Modern Medicine Network. Retrieved from http://
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healthcaretraveler.modernmedicine.com/healthcare-traveler/news/nursing-interventions-traumatic-brain-injury-go-beyond-patient.

Photo from msktc.org and image from Pintrest

Want to get involved in December AIDS Awareness?
Sarah Dudley, freshman
December 1st was World AIDS Day, as people all over the world unite to show their support for people who are
living with HIV, fight back against it, and to commemorate those who have passed away .While the White House
adorned a massive red ribbon on its front columns, our very own Gulf Tower illuminated in all red to show support.
Pittsburgh was one of hundreds of cities worldwide who came together, dawned in Red, to sponsor World AIDS
Day.
In the past, there was free HIV testing on December 1st to promote
awareness. However, now the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force offers free
HIV and STD testing on every day except Saturday. For more infor-
mation such as hours and location, visit http://www.patf.org/get-tested.
Other Pittsburgh locations that offer HIV testing include the Allegheny
County Health Department, Adagio
Health Network, the Pittsburgh
AIDS Center for Treatment, Planned
Parenthood of Western Pennsylva-
nia, and the Positive Health Clinic.
The University of Pittsburgh held a
World AIDS Day Commemoration
service in the Heinz Memorial Chap-
el on December 1st, at 7:30pm. This
service was to remember all those who lost their battle with HIV/AIDS, and to
support those who are currently fighting. Following this event, over 200 people
held a candle light vigil and march through Oakland.
If you missed out on the awareness festivities, be sure to attend the pep rally for
preventive medical measures for individuals at risk of contracting HIV. The event
will promote pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, a combination of strategies such
as a daily pill and condom use for those who are at risk of contracting HIV. The
rally will be held on December 10, from 7:30-9:30pm, at the Kelly Strayhorn
Theater, 5941 Penn Avenue, East Liberty. The event is being sponsored by the
Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force, and along with the informational speeches and ses-
sions, there will be a “drag queen cheer squad”.
Are you interested in joining next year’s World AIDS Day celebration in Pittsburgh? Or just in bringing about more
attention to HIV/AIDS? There are many volunteer opportunities through the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force available
to you! Some include volunteering at their food pantry, being a “buddy” to an HIV-positive individual, office assis-
tants, or many other positions. For more information, visit www.paft.org/community-outreach.

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 Looking to Jazz it up this Christmas?
The Scope staff donned their favorite sweaters to provide some inspiration!

Left: Sarah is sporting a cherry

red sweater featuring scotty
dogs. Take note of the embellish-
ments on the wrists! A little bit of
glitter goes a long way!

Right: Elizabeth is fashioning a

white sweater with a gold trim.
Gold adds some sparkle as well as
class to any sweater.

Right: Holly is keeping warm

this winter with a red sweat-
shirt featuring Mickey and Min-
nie Mouse. This holiday classic
is a favorite at any party this
season!

Left: Ashley’s lime green turtleneck

is not only snuggly warm, but also
fun to wear! Celebrate Christmas
and presents with bright, bold col-
ors!

Right: Bridget’s sweater featuring

the words “Don’t be Tachy” with a
V-tach design underneath is a
nursing favorite! Embrace nursing
and Christmas in one sweater! This
sweater is sure to add humor to 9
any nursing holiday party. Get
yours at teespring.com.
Peppermint, Seasonal and Beneficial
Ashley Altieri, senior
It is unmistakable when the Winter break and
Christmas season arrive. Commercials of holiday
sales bombard televisions and jaunty Christmas
music adorns the malls and stores. Candy Canes are
placed on the shelves and peppermint flavored cof-
fees- like the Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino- are
available at Starbucks. Besides being a traditional
winter treat, peppermint has many therapeutic us-
es.

The main ingredient of the peppermint plant is

known to scientists as menthol, and is used in chest
rubs, topical lotions, and throat sprays2. Pepper-
mint is popularly used in aromatherapy or essential
oil blends with the purpose of providing a calming
and soothing atmosphere. Multiple studies were
conducted by nurses in comparing the use of peppermint aromatherapy to antiemetic medications. Nurs-
es in a study wanted to find a way to reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting in C-section patients with-
out the adverse side effects that can occur with medications1. The results of the study explained that pep-
permint aromatherapy is a useful adjunct therapy to treat postoperative nausea, and encouraged others to
replicate the study in a variety of postoperative environments for more detailed results1.

Peppermint is also used to relieve pain from headaches, menstrual cramps, bloating, nausea, skin irrita-
tion, anxiety associated with depression, and diarrhea2. Peppermint has been shown as a first line thera-
py for treating the symptoms of Irritable Bowel
Syndrome (IBS)3. According to Registered Dieti-
cian Nutritionist Kate Scarlata, “Peppermint oil has
anti-spasmodic properties which relax the smooth
muscle in the intestine, and test tube studies show
that it has anti-microbial effects which reduce oral
bacteria and fungal pathogens”3. Scarlata also
recommends that people use an enteric coated
capsule to reduce the likelihood of heartburn3.
Peppermint might work well for people with IBS,
but it is not as therapeutic for those with gas-
troesophageal reflux disease2. Since peppermint
helps to relax the muscles in the stomach, like the
esophageal sphincter, it can worsen the effects of
heartburn and indigestion in this population2. As
with all herbal or holistic therapies, it is necessary
to consult your health care provider before seriously starting a new therapy or supplement. The next time
you eat at Olive Garden and get the after-dinner mint, or you are relaxing with a steamy mug of pepper-
mint tea, consider the ways that peppermint can be used in the clinical setting.

1, http://jhn.sagepub.com.authenticate.library.duq.edu/content/30/2/90
2, https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/peppermint
3, http://web.b.ebscohost.com.authenticate.library.duq.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=c11288fa-
10d1-4bc5-b8c3-a8bb07530544%40sessionmgr110&vid=10&hid=106
10
Photos from PlanetChristmas.com and annmariegianni.com
The Ins and Outs of Diabetes
Briana Gavin, freshman
The month of November is diabetes awareness month so why not take a moment and learn more about diabe-
tes? Diabetes mellitus comes in two main forms, type 1 and type 2 and is characterized by high blood glucose
levels1. Type 1 is defined as a condition where the pancreas produces little to no insulin. Type 2, the more
common form of diabetes, is where the amount of insulin produced does not meet the amount needed to per-
form the necessary functions; also referred to as insulin
resistance.

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that

controls the amount of glucose the liver produces and
how much is released into the blood stream. Insulins
main job is to help the cells in the body take the glucose
out of blood to be stored and used in cellular respira-
tion2. After eating you begin to digest your food and
sugar is introduced into the blood stream therefore in-
sulin is released to signal cells to absorb the sugar. In-
sulin levels are lower between meals because the
amount of sugar in the blood stream is low1. With dia-
betes, insulin is not produce or effective to control the
body’s blood sugar level. Running high sugars can have
dangerous repercussions overtime such as vision prob-
lems and kidney problems because of weak or dam-
aged blood ves-
sels3.

Managing diabe-
tes consists of keeping a balanced diet, exercising, watching blood sugar
levels and taking needed insulin. Diabetics inject insulin, mainly synthet-
ic, into their blood stream between or after meals to make up for the in-
sulin they do not produce3. The amount of insulin needed is dependent
on the individual and how resistant they are to insulin. Most diabetics
carry around a blood glucose meter, this is a machine that can check
blood glucose levels by testing a drop of blood and displays a number
illustrating the amount of sugar in the blood. Usually blood sugar levels
should be between 70-130 and less than 180, 2 hours after eating2.

The production of insulin is lifesaving medicine but misuse of insulin can

have dangerous repercussions. When diabetics do not have enough insu-
lin their blood sugar will spike and be high, if the blood sugar drops be-
low 70 it means they have too much insulin and need sugar. Both can be
dangerous if it happens too often or for too long. Diabetes is a chronic
condition and affects about 347 million people worldwide, the more
awareness about diabetes there is, the more efforts there can be to-
wards curing it. Nick Jonas shows his Dexacom Insulin pump.
Jonas suffers from Type 1 diabetes and has
been a big advocate for diabetes research. Photo
from Dexacom.

1. http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Insulin.aspx 11
2. https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/25-things-you-should-know-about-diabetes/
3. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/diabetes/
Image from intel.org
 News & Announcements
DUSNA School of Nursing
 Interested in running for office? DUSNA will be  DUSON prepares for the new se-
having board elections in March! mester. Need help deciding which
 The fist DUSNA meeting of the new year is in early
classes to take? Contact your aca-
January. Hello 2016!
demic adviser.

 DUSON welcomes the new stu-

Own a business and want to get the
dents entering the program in
word out? Place your advertisement
2016!
here! Contact Bridget Seelinger at
dusnapublicity@hotmail.com for details

Vegan Thumbprint Cookies

Elizabeth Kovacs, junior
‘Tis the season for finals, stress baking and, oh yeah, Christmas too. This final/holiday season, im-
press your family and friends with your healthy baking skills or just choose a healthier way to bake
away all your nursing school stress away. Baking vegan is eliminating all animal products such as
dairy and eggs from your ingredients and replacing them with healthier and more natural ingredi-
ents. It’s better for you, good for the environment, and helps animals all at the same time. Butter can
easily be swapped out of most recipes for coconut oil or applesauce and soy, coconut, or almond milk
can be used in place of regular milk. The following recipe is a variation of my grandmother’s recipe
for peanut butter thumbprint cookies that usually have a chocolate kiss in the center, ours will have a
dairy-free chocolate frosting instead. The recipe yields about 36 cookies total.

Ingredients
For the cookies:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut oil, softened, not melted
1/4 cup applesauce mixed with 1/2 tsp baking
powder
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp additional baking powder
For the chocolate frosting center:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup softened coconut oil
1/2 cup unsweetened almond, soy, or coconut
milk
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. In a large bowl, beat
together sugar, brown sugar, coconut oil, peanut butter, and
applesauce-baking powder mixture on medium speed until
well blended. stir in the remainder of dry ingredients until
dough is well formed.
2. Divide and shape dough into 1-inch balls. If desired, you can
roll the balls into additional granulated sugar. place about two
inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.
3. While the cookies are baking, mix together all the ingredi-
ents for the frosting, with an electric mixer at medium speed.
4. Move the cookies to a cooling rack, make a small depression
in the center of the cookie with your thumb, and spoon or
pipe a quarter sized amount of the frosting into the depres-
12
sion. let cool and enjoy!
 Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn

Hello, all my fellow Scorpios! Your destiny determined by the position of planet Mars, your
sign may be water, but you are definitely not known for being peaceful and calm. You are of a mature and passion-
ate personality type—feeling emotions to their extremes and not afraid to voice your opinion. If you see an oppor-
tunity help out Sim man in the nursing lab, you are the first to volunteer. Likewise, if you see a patient on the floor
whose needs aren’t being attended to, you do not hesitate to advocate for them (way to attack those nursing com-
petencies!). You are wonderfully insightful into the needs of others as well as in touch with yourself—all excellent
qualities that suit you well as a student and future nurse. However, your good characteristics of being emotionally
intelligent and dynamic and confidant in your voice can often lead you to let your emotions take charge. Unfortu-
nately, Scorpios, we have to fight the urge to hold grudges and to take this so personally. After all, our patients are
definitely dealing with a lot and our co-workers and peers are human and often overworked by the craziness that
is life too. Keep lovin’ and keep speaking up for the underdog! You’re often times one of the few people who will…

Sagittarius, you are ruled by the will of Jupiter and are a fire sign. It’s no wonder that you’re a fire sign… because
you have a blazing, adventurous, and restless spirit that refuses to die down. Nursing is definitely the field for you
–you are constantly craving more knowledge, adventure and surprise. You may be leaning towards the ED, flight
nursing… maybe travel nursing or the ICU. Whatever you choose, you will gravitate towards the elements of ener-
gy and surprise. I would advise you to continue to dream big and fret not if your adventurous nature pulls you on-
to a different path. Follow your enthusiastic heart just as the centaur follows his arrow, and I foresee a future be-
yond your imagination that fulfills all of your needs for a great story. Now naturally, some other signs may clash
with your personality only because you’re constantly the life of the party and on the move… and you refuse to set-
tle down. But let me just say, the world always needs the energetic spirit of a Sagittarius just like the soup that I’m
currently eating could always use a little more salt.

And finally, to the Capricorns of Duquesne: Saturn is your planet and Earth is your sign. Your dedication to your
studies is admired by many but empathized with by few. Although you are a hard worker, caring, logical and bril-
liant in your mind, your intelligence can often times make it difficult for you to connect to others and for others to
connect with you. Do not be afraid to confide in friends and put into words some of the brilliance that occupies
your brain. Some of the world’s greatest scientists are Capricorns, and you are well on your way to joining them
and making enormous strides in the lives of your patients and in the field of nursing. Great work! Keep studying
and keep thinking! At the same time, take some advice from good old Lady HCTZ, do not fear opening up to a
friend… it may result in a friendship that lasts a lifetime!

Futures divined by: Lady Hydrochlorothiazide, filtering through your fu-

ture with a daily dose of dire etiquette.

Check back next month for what the future holds! 13

SNAP..cont from page 5
When the election results were revealed, there was a dramatic overturn in DUSNA BOARD OF
SNAP leadership with Vice President, Marcus Henderson routing Meghan
Long, the incumbent, for President. This was especially surprising, consider-
DIRECTORS
ing all of the successes of SNAP this past year. DUSNA was happily surprised
at the Awards Banquet to receive several accolades for both individual mem-  President– Emily Kinley
bers and the organization as a whole. The Scope’s own, Sarah Dudley re-
ceived a SNAP Freshman Member Scholarship and Bridget Seelinger received  Vice-President–Caroline Miller
the Jamey Thiel Miller Memorial Legislative Award for being active in nursing
 Secretary– Allison Erceg
and politics. DUSNA was awarded a Gold Category Award for Recruitment
and Retention and was the only chapter in the state of PA in level 2 to receive  Treasurer– Joelle Augustine
the Chapter Excellence Award, a highly coveted award amongst SNAP chap-
 Social Co-Chairs– Tara Shipe and
ters. It was a highly successful SNAP convention with successes for DUSNA all
Mikayla Dongell
around!
 Service– Rachel Keto
The SNAP convention can seem very overwhelming to those who have never
been before, but it is a worthwhile experience. All the speakers who were at  Legislative Coordinator– Amanda
the convention were inspiring and as much of a success it was this year, it Matkovic
will only keep getting better throughout the years.  Fundraising– Monika Spangenberg
 Recruitment– Julie Herr
Jamey Thiel Miller
Gold Category for Recruitment
Memorial Legislative Award  Publicity– Bridget Seelinger
and Retention

Chapter Excellence Award

NCLEX Nook
Question is from NurseLabs.com
NLCEX Nook Answer: B
When developing a plan of care for a male adolescent, the nurse considers
the child’s psychosocial needs. During adolescence, psychosocial develop- According to Erikson, the primary psychosocial task during
ment focuses on: adolescence is to establish a personal identity confusion.
The adolescent attempts to establish a group identity by
A. Becoming Industrious seeking acceptance and approval from peers, and strives to
B. Establishing an Identity attain a personal identity by becoming more independent
C. Achieving Intimacy from the family. Becoming industrious is the developmen-
D. Developing Initiative 14
tal task of the school-age child, achieving intimacy is the
task of the young adult, and developing initiative is the task
of the preschooler.
 What is SNAP?
SNAP stands Student Nurses Association of Pennsylva-
nia. SNAP is the state level version of DUSNA. It is an ex-
cellent way to network as well as get to know nursing
students from all over the state of PA. The annual confer-
ence is in mid to late November. If interested in running
for office, email the NEC West at
NECWestSNAP@gmail.com!

What is NSNA?

NSNA stands for National Student Nurses Association and is the na-
tional version of DUSNA. NSNA is active in federal and state health pol-
icy and has close ties to the American Nurses Association, the national
association for all nurses. The annual conference takes place in late
March early April and is a great way to network and get to know nurs-
ing students from all over the country. Contact the NEC East at
NECEast@NSNA.org if interested in running for office!

Photo from Student Nurses of Rhode Island

How can I be involved in DUSNA?

If you’re looking for ways to be more involved, join a committee! The board of directors is always
looking for help. Legislative committee is an excellent way to get involved if you have an interest in
health policy. Social and Service are regularly needing help with organizing activities. The Scope is
always looking for writers and bloggers. DUSNA is an excellent way to get to know other nursing
students and have FUN. The more involved you are the more fun you will have! Contact anyone
from the board!

15
 Being part of the DUSNA Board is excellent not only for your re-
sume, but also for your professional advancement. You learn
how to have impact and make the changes that you want to see
in this great organization

Open positions include: Legislative Coordinator

President Service Coordinator

Vice-President Social Coordinator

Treasurer Recruitment Chair

Secretary Publicity
Email us at dusnaduq@gmail.com16 if
you’re interested in running!