Nursing Student Professional Development Week is Back!
Hosted by the PA-NWC Nurse Diversity Council, this three-day virtual professional development series is open to nursing students and nurses at every stage of their journey. Whether you’re a current nursing student, a new-to-practice nurse, or an experienced nurse looking to grow, connect, and gain new perspectives, these sessions offer opportunities for learning and professional development.
This year’s sessions will explore well-being, professional relationships, career possibilities, and what it takes to thrive throughout nursing school and beyond. Whether you’re looking for practical strategies to navigate nursing school, perspectives on building healthy and supportive teams, or inspiration for where a nursing degree can take you, there’s something for everyone.
If you have additional questions or trouble joining sessions, please email Zaharaa Davood at
October 26, from 12 - 1:30 pm
October 27, from 12 - 1:30 pm
October 28, from 12 - 1:30 pm
Please note: Registration is required for each individual session. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with a unique Zoom link for that session. Please use this link to join the session. Your Zoom link is customized to you and should not be shared.
Thriving, Not Just Surviving: Navigating Stress & Burnout in Nursing School
Monday, October 26 from 12 - 1:30 pm
Nursing school presents unique academic, clinical, and personal challenges that can contribute to stress and burnout. This webinar will discuss common signs and causes of burnout while introducing practical, evidence-based strategies to help students manage stress, build resilience, and prioritize their well-being. Through expert discussion and shared experiences, participants will gain tools they can apply throughout nursing school and into their future nursing school and into their future nursing careers.
Objectives:
Speaker Details:
Dr. Twanda Toliver Gainer, DNP, MS, RN, CNE-CL is a retired U.S. Navy Nurse Corps Officer, nurse educator, and leader with more than 30 years of experience spanning clinical practice, military service, academia, and workforce development. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science degrees from Hampton University and her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Chatham University. Dr. Gainer is an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing and a member of the NCLEX Success Team, where she is dedicated to promoting student success, advancing nursing education, and developing practice-ready nurses. Dr. Gainer has served in a variety of leadership and educational roles, including Evidence-Based Practice Facilitator with the Tri-Service Nursing Research Program, Program Coordinator, Academic Success Coach, and Nurse Residency Program Coordinator. She has also contributed to national nursing workforce initiatives through the Campaign for Action HBCU Learning Collaborative, the Pennsylvania Nursing Workforce Coalition, and as an Inaugural NextGen Train-the-Trainer for the Center to Champion Nursing in America. Dr. Gainer is the founder of RN REACH, LLC, through which she provides mentoring, academic coaching, NCLEX preparation, and professional development for aspiring and novice nurses. Her scholarship includes PROJECT ARMS: Achieving Readiness Medication Safety and numerous national presentations focused on NCLEX readiness, student progression, and academic success.
Dr. James Vines: (bio coming soon)
The National Nurse-Led Care Consortium and Villanova University are collaborating to provide nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) contact hours for the educational activity entitled “Thriving, Not Just Surviving: Navigating Stress & Burnout in Nursing School.” Nurses completing the entire activity and the evaluation tool may be awarded a maximum of 1.5 NCPD contact hours.
After the Storm: Healing Team Fractures & Renewing Collective Compassion
Tuesday, October 27 from 12 - 1:30 pm
In this session, participants will have the opportunity to consider how a healthy culture of conflict and repair can be cultivated in their workplace teams. By reflecting on their own socialization with conflict, exploring how culture can influence how we understand, react, and respond to conflict, and building practical skills for interpersonal repair, participants will leave the session with a sense of agency to transform tension to connection in alignment with their values.
Objectives:
Speaker Details:
Marvin DeBose, M.A is a training specialist for UNITAS: Office of Community Enrichment at Villanova University. With a background in equity initiatives, Marvin specializes in facilitating workshops that help us reflect on our most salient identities and how they impact the ways in which we interact with the world. With an M.A. in Communications Studies, Marvin’s work also focuses on intercultural communication, intergroup dialogue, and small group communication.
Sydney Lobosco, M.A is the Director of Inclusive Community Learning and Practice at Villanova University’s UNITAS: Office of Community Enrichment, using the tools of facilitation and curriculum design to co-construct a more loving, accountable, and just community. As a creator, facilitator, and educator, Sydney uses their engaging sessions to help build trust, name historical truths, and develop the self-efficacy of participants to be change agents in their spheres of influence. Sydney earned their MA in Student Development Administration from Seattle University, where their research focused on the application of a Community Cultural Wealth framework in advocacy of minoritized communities in college institutional programming. This framework continues to be a central pillar of their work at Villanova. Sydney also provides equity and justice consultation and coaching outside of the education industry, working primarily with clients in the arts.
The National Nurse-Led Care Consortium and Villanova University are collaborating to provide nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) contact hours for the educational activity entitled “After the Storm: Healing Team Fractures & Renewing Collective Compassion.” Nurses completing the entire activity and the evaluation tool may be awarded a maximum of 1.5 NCPD contact hours.
Nursing Careers You Didn’t Learn About in Nursing School
Wednesday, October 28 from 12 - 1:30 pm
There are endless possibilities for how you can use your nursing degree. From the bedside to beyond, nurses are using their skills in ways that many students may never hear about in nursing school. In this webinar, our panelists will share how they carved their own unique paths in nursing from combining creativity and innovation with healthcare, to building a career in public health and entrepreneurship, to transporting some of the most fragile newborns between healthcare facilities. Join us as we explore the versatility of a nursing degree, hear the journeys that led each panelist to where they are today, and discover just how far a career in nursing can take you.
Objectives:
Speaker Details:
Ghecora Boyd, MPH, BSN, RN, AMB-BC, PMP, CPXP, CDI, LSSYB is a nurse leader, public health strategist, and Founder and CEO of The Public Health Nurse Collaborative, dedicated to connecting nursing, public health, patient experience, and professional development. She currently serves as a Care Transition Nurse Navigator at Temple University Health System and brings 16 years of experience in nursing, healthcare quality, patient advocacy, and systems improvement. Passionate about helping nurses leverage their transferable skills, she supports career growth in both traditional and emerging roles. Ghecora is pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice at Temple University and was inducted into Delta Omega, the national public health honorary society. Through consulting, speaking, and mentorship, she empowers nurses to expand their impact across healthcare and public health.
Marion Leary, PhD, MPH, RN is Penn Nursing’s Director of Innovation and a nationally recognized leader in healthcare innovation, nursing leadership, and interdisciplinary collaboration. She leads the Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship, hosts the Amplify Nursing and Love n' Leary podcasts, and serves as a Fulbright Scholar and honorary clinical professor with the University of Stirling in Scotland. A founding member of SONSIEL and co-chair of Nursing is STEM, she is a passionate advocate for advancing nursing innovation and recognizing nursing as a STEM profession. Through her writing, speaking, and service on numerous advisory boards, she helps shape the future of nursing and healthcare. Her contributions have earned national recognition for leadership, innovation, and impact across the profession.
Elizabeth Przychowicz, BSN, RN, RNC-NIC, CBC is a NICU and neonatal transport nurse who cares for critically ill newborns in the hospital, during transport, and at high-risk deliveries requiring specialized care. She also serves on the pediatric rapid response team and contributes to Jefferson Health committees focused on human trafficking awareness, breastfeeding support, and patient safety. In addition to her clinical work, she is actively involved in community service through organizations that support individuals and families in need. Her professional interests include neonatal research and quality improvement, including serving as a co-principal investigator on a published study related to umbilical cord blood collection and blood culture testing. She is passionate about mentorship and enjoys sharing her experiences to help students explore the many diverse pathways within nursing.
The National Nurse-Led Care Consortium and Villanova University are collaborating to provide nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) contact hours for the educational activity entitled “Nursing Careers You Didn’t Learn About in Nursing School.” Nurses completing the entire activity and the evaluation tool may be awarded a maximum of 1.5 NCPD contact hours.
