Reflections of a Convention Newbee By Helen Austria RN This was my first time to attend a PNAA Convention. I did not know quite what to expect. After all, I am not one into being among a group of people I do not know. As I joined this group of unfamiliar faces, I wondered. Except for the four friends and colleagues I came with and Pete Calixto, a UST co Alumnus, I did not know anybody else. As I sat there before the first dinner/ dance get together got into full swing, I was thinking to myself, "this does not seem to be my kind of thing." Then the "chapter challenge" began. Twelve chapters of the PNAA performed and competed to best creatively express the theme of this year’s convention- P.R.I.D.E.-Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity and Excellence. It was then that I realized I was among a sea of seasoned nurses with a huge fund of knowledge and experience. They could have been somewhere else but they were there. They were there to support a common goal: maintaining nursing as a noble profession, caring vocation while elevating it to the high, unique, valuable, independent PROFESSION that it should be. Once again, we are the best, the champions of the Chapters Challenge! Thanks to Beth Rosas who thought of the presentation concept, Vicky Herrera who gave it life and language with a wonderful script, Cora Zamora for the moral support, props and food and Emily turalba for the music. It was so much fun working with everybody in the cast namely Arvin Figueroa, Del Iloreta, and Irma Labre-Wright. Despite no actual practice, they did a superb spontaneous performance. We had the crowd laughing yet thoughtful of what nursing is today and what we are able to do about it. With so much talent, how could we lose? In the end, I felt lucky and privileged to be able to experience the camaraderie, spirit, energy and ambition that this group for those present. Of course, experiencing the Big Apple & its culture quite briefly (Wished I had more time!) was not bad either. |
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