Nursing Students Earn Awards at Research Conference

Rush University College of Nursing received top honors this April at the Midwest Nursing Research Society’s (MNRS) 39th annual Research Conference in Indianapolis. With nearly 1,000 attendees and 300 poster presentations, Rush received the following honors:

• Dana Roy (GEM student, pictured right) won third place in the MSN poster contest
• Anita Esquerra-Zwiers (PhD student) won third place in the PhD poster competition
• Shannon Halloway (PhD student) was awarded the MNRS doctoral student grant and won Best Student Paper for 2014, which was published in the Western Journal of Nursing Research in 2015
• Susie Breitenstein, PhD, RN, PMHCNS-BC (associate professor) was honored with the MNRS Family Section Early Stage Investigator Award

“For the majority of the students, this is their first experience presenting at a large research conference, and it is thrilling for both students and our proud Rush faculty members in attendance,” said JoEllen Wilbur, PhD, APN, FAAN, associate dean for research.

Student work for the MNRS conference begins in the fall with the submission of an abstract to the Rush University Research Committee. The committee members score the abstracts and select the best for submission to MNRS. During the spring, the students work closely with the research office, members of the research committee and their mentors to draft the poster. Approximately three weeks before the conference, all students present their posters to members of the research committee for a final critique.

Overall, three generalist entry master’s (GEM) students, two doctor of nursing practice (DNP) students and three doctoral (PhD) students presented posters at the MNRS conference, along with a multitude of Rush faculty.

“The annual conference provides students the opportunity to meet some of the premiere nursing researchers in the Midwest and see the most recent nursing research,” said Breitenstein. “It is a great learning and networking experience for students and faculty, providing a stimulating environment to share ideas, collaborate and build new connections.”

About MNRS

“Since 1975, the Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) has been transforming how nursing is practiced. We do this two ways: by promoting, disseminating, and using nursing research and by encouraging, supporting, and connecting the next generation of nurse scientists. Today, with more than 1,300 members, MNRS is one of the largest and most influential nursing research organizations in the country, serving individuals in a 13-state Midwest region.”