Sydney Mosset, Erica Martinez-Meza, and Patience Biesiot will represent Dickinson State University at the annual Nursing Students' Association of North Dakota (NSAND) convention in Bismarck this weekend. The three-day event features award competitions, keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and meetings. At the convention, Mosset will compete for Student Nurse of the Year (SNOY), Martinez-Meza for the Leadership Award, and Patience Biesiot for the Nurse Educator of the Year (NEDY) title. Each of these Blue Hawks won titles at the DSU local chapter earlier this year. The award ceremony begins at 4 p.m. (MT) on Thursday night.
Sydney Mosset – Student Nurse of the Year nominee
Mosset, a junior nursing student, was selected as the Student Nurse of the Year for the Dickinson chapter this past winter. Mosset, originally from Hazen, North Dakota, recounts her journey from being a highly active high school student involved in sports, clubs, and rodeo, to her unexpected entry into nursing. Looking forward, Sydney envisions working in the emergency department or ICU after graduation, with aspirations to become a nurse practitioner in the future. She plans to take a break from formal education to gain practical experience to help her career in healthcare.
“Being selected as the Student Nurse of The Year is such an honor,” stated Mosset. “I was among an excellent group of students, and I knew any one of them would have been a great choice for this position. I have big shoes to fill as Erica, last year’s Student Nurse of the Year, did so many excellent things for the DSU Nursing Student Association. I hope to represent DSU well at the state competition as I compete for the state award this weekend. “
With her SNOY honor, Mosset will assume leadership of the Nursing Student Association (NSA). She will be responsible for organizing activities such as food and blood drives and creating or participating in community health events.
Erica Martinez-Meza – Leadership Award nominee
Martinez-Meza, previous DSU 2022 SNOY award winner, was voted to represent DSU for the Leadership Award. The award was established to honor a senior NSAND member with outstanding leadership qualities including at least six hours of community service related to nursing activity, actively promotes the nursing profession, serves as a positive role model, and has set goals for the future.
“I was nominated by our nursing faculty, and I’m honored to receive such a prestigious nomination,” said Martinez-Meza. “As a full-time nursing student and a mother of two young children, life becomes very busy during the school year. Even with my full-time priorities, I still make an emphasis to be involved as much as possible. I’ve been an NSA member for two years and have held multiple positions, including Vice President, Student Nurse of the Year, and most recently director of funds. It’s important for me to show and encourage my fellow students that we can make a difference beyond direct nursing care to patients. I am very excited to represent Dickinson at the upcoming state convention in Bismarck and showcase our continued commitment to helping communities all around the world.”
Patience Biesiot – Nurse Educator of the Year
With over 20 years of nursing experience, Patience Biesiot, assistant professor of nursing, graduated with her BSN from New Mexico State University, and received her MSN from The University of Arizona. Currently, Biesiot is an integral part of the nursing program at Dickinson State. With her dedication to student success in the nursing field, Biesiot is committed to giving students a source of inspiration, as well as teaching her students to build resilience within themselves.
Prior to joining DSU, Patience’s professional nursing experience included Coronary Intensive Care (CICU), Intensive Care (ICU), Post-Anesthesia Care (PACU), Perioperative Services, Clinical Research, Pediatric Post-Anesthesia Care (Pediatric Hospital PACU), Orthopedics, and she has held Advance Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and her Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) credentialing, and working as a trauma nurse at multiple Level I Trauma Centers.
"As nurse educators, we have a responsibility to instruct our students in a manner that upholds and elevates the nursing profession,” stated Biesiot. “I also feel a responsibility to provide my students with an inclusive, supportive, and welcoming learning environment. This is why I provide an open-door policy to help promote student and faculty communication. My students know they can come to me with more than just academic challenges. I mentor my students to ensure they are prioritizing self-care and overall well-being. Showing them how to persevere over life's challenges, and how that perseverance is an opportunity for personal growth and the development of a professional identity. In addition, I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation to my incredible coworkers. Their unwavering support, collaboration, and dedication to nurse education has been instrumental in my success as a nurse educator. This recognition is not just a reflection of my efforts, but also a testament to the collective strength our nursing faculty embody. Together we achieve nursing education greatness."
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