SCHOLARSHIP DAY 2008  Theme: Celebrating the Scholarship of Education, Practice, and Scholarship Date: April 11, 2008   Keynote by:  Jean McSweeney, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN Professor and Director, Center for Scholarship on Tailored Biobehavioral Interventions (NIH–funded P-20 Center housed in the UAMS College of Nursing) Location: Embassy Suites Hotel, West Little Rock For Conference information, contact:  Dr. Cheryl Schmidt, (501) 686-8705  CALL FOR PAPERS AND POSTERS: Submission deadline— January 14, 2008 Note: Confirmation of acceptance to primary author— February 15, 2008 Possible Session Topics: Scholarship Day Sponsors §         Scholarship studies §         Educational innovations §         Quality Improvement  §         Methodology §         Demonstration projects  §         Clinical innovations §         Literature review  §         Scholarship in progress §         Instrument development  §         Technology   University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing   UAMS Medical Center   Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System Nursing Service   Arkansas Children’s Hospital   Sigma Theta Tau International: Gamma Xi & Beta Chi Chapters   Sessions: §         A symposium is a panel presentation on a special topic or project. §         Paper Presentations are oral presentations as described above under possible session topics. §         Poster presentations may cover any of the session topics as described above.

Indicate Presentation Requested (select only one): Paper Only       Poster Only      Paper and Poster     Symposium Title of Presentation:  Name of Presenter:    Degree(s):    Address:  City:   State:    Zip: Telephone (Work):  Telephone (Home):  FAX:     E-mail: Present Position (Title & Employer):  Role:  Planning Committee   Faculty    Content Specialist Describe your expertise related to your role in the educational activity: Vested Interests Having an interest in an organization does not prevent a speaker from making a presentation, but the audience must be informed of this relationship prior to the start of the activity. (If the applicant already has special forms to identify this, it does not need to be repeated on the bio form. Include the applicant’s copy of the completed forms declaring vested interest.) I recognize that I must follow all guidelines and criteria regarding vested interest.  Any real or perceived conflict of interest for a conference participant must be disclosed.  For this purpose a real or apparent conflict of interest is defined as having a significant financial interest in a product to be discussed directly or indirectly during the presentation; being or having been an employee of a company with such financial interest and/or having had substantial Scholarship support by an industry to study the product to be discussed at the presentation.  I have no real or perceived conflicts of interest that relate to this presentation. I have the following real or perceived conflicts of interest that relate to this presentation: Off-Label Use Content:   I  will    will not include the discussion of an off-label use of a commercial product. If off-label use of a commercial product is included, I agree to inform learners of such.                Name                                            Date By checking this box, I am confirming my electronic signature, verifying the accuracy of the statements on this document.   Complete this section for paper and symposium presentations only: PROVIDER DIRECTED EDUCATION ACTIVITY Title of Paper or Symposium: OBJECTIVES Please write your teaching objective(s)  CONTENT (Topics) Please write a brief synopsis (1-3 sentences or phrases) of the content of your topic. Please list your audio-visual needs here:   IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS: In addition to the above information submit a one-page abstract of your paper or poster to Scholarship Day Committee directly to (email: conresearchday@uams.edu) The following is an example of a one-page abstract: Promoting Leadership Development and Mentorship through Involvement in the National Student Nurses’ Association Purpose: This presentation will describe the development of a course to promote leadership and mentorship skills in Baccalaureate nursing students. Background: The National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA), the largest preprofessional organization in the United States, has a current membership of over 40,000. Over the years, many of its members have gone on to become leaders in the American Nurses Association and specialty nursing organizations, applying the leadership skills they acquired through active involvement in the NSNA. Recently, the NSNA developed a program called “Leadership University (or ‘U’)” (www.nsnaleadershipu.) “Leadership U” provides NSNA members with an opportunity to earn formal academic credit in their nursing programs, as well as a diploma from “Leadership U” This creative concept formally recognizes and rewards the outstanding leadership skills nursing students acquire through active involvement in the NSNA. Method: At the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), faculty created a course called “Leadership Development,” which enables students to earn one academic credit for a semester. In order to earn this credit, students develop an individualized learning contract indicating how they plan to complete the course. Minimum requirements include 1) joining the NSNA, 2) serving in a leadership role in either their class, the Student Nurses’ Association (SNA) at the local, state, and/or national levels, and/or a community organization in which they can project a positive image of nursing, 3) attending at least two meetings of their SNA or a professional nursing organization, and 4) participating in at least three service activities. The activities are broadly defined, and can be as simple as donating blood or as complex as helping to plan a community health fair. The service component of the course encourages students to participate in class, SNA, or community service activities, which often struggle to find sufficient volunteers. When students participate in community activities as nursing students, the positive image they project also promotes recruitment into the nursing profession. That is, when members of the community observe the wide variety of rewarding activities in which nurses can participate, they see beyond the stereotype of “bedside nursing,” and may envision a nursing career for themselves. In the fall of 2005, a Mentorship Model with BSN students was introduced as an adjunct to the Leadership Development course at UAMS. Students may elect to participate in the Mentorship Program as one of the service activities in their learning contract. The goals of the mentor program are to develop relationships between senior and junior students which promote further development of communication skills, and provide a support system for the juniors. Conclusions: In summary, the course enhances leadership and mentorship skills and instills a community service orientation in both juniors and seniors that will follow them throughout their professional careers. The course is refined each semester based upon student feedback and the results of an ongoing analysis of student learning contracts as well as comments regarding the process of mentoring.   Conference registration fee: (to be paid when you register) Undergraduate Students                 $15.00 Graduates Students                        $35.00 All Others                                      $75.00 By submitting this form you are agreeing to, if selected, present at the Scholarship Day, register, pay the registration fee, and give permission for duplication. This fee includes breakfast, lunch and continuing nursing education contact hours.