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Patricia Gonce Morton, Ph.D., assistant dean and professor at the University of Maryland, poses with UNMC nursing student Elisa Znamenacek at the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses convention, held earlier this year in Baltimore. At the convention, Znamenacek received the AACN’s “Breakthrough to Nursing Scholarship.” |
Znamenacek was one of 10 nursing students from across the country who received the AACN scholarship through the Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association. The scholarship was presented to Znamenacek at an awards ceremony in Baltimore.
“Receiving the scholarship is great not only because it is helping me through my last two semesters of school, but it also gives me a connection to a professional nursing resource,” Znamenacek said.
She chose critical-care nursing for a variety of reasons.
“All areas of nursing take a certain mindset and I feel I will thrive best in critical care,” she said. “I think it will be challenging and the intensity will help hone my skills.”
A Lincoln native, Znamenacek is a senior nursing student and is married with two children. She plans to graduate in May and may consider going to graduate school to become a nurse anesthetist.
Kathy Duncan, Ph.D., assistant dean and associate professor, UNMC College of Nursing Lincoln Division, said Znamenacek is very deserving of the scholarship.
“Elisa is a wonderful example of a student who understands the importance of a professional involvement in nursing,” she said.
Znamenacek is also involved in the Student Nursing Association (SNA). After serving as secretary of SNA, she was elected president last spring and wasted no time improving the organization.
“In her first semester, she noted the lack of a student publication to inform Lincoln nursing students about SNA and program events,” Dr. Duncan said. “She developed a publication called SNAP.”
SNAP, short for Student Nursing Association Publication, includes sections for students to recognize each others’ achievements, as well as sections on faculty, current campus events and SNA news.
“The publication is available in our lobby and we have to replace issues frequently because pre-nursing students want a copy,” Dr. Duncan said. “Elisa is a very committed and involved student.”