Freed-Hardeman Nursing Student Makes Connections at TNA Conference

FHU senior nursing major Megan Perkins received an invitation to attend The Tennessee Nursing Association Conference (TNA) that helped sharpen her networking skills and learn more about the nursing profession last summer.

"When I showed up, I did not know a single person other than my teacher, Dr. Raven Wentworth," Perkins said. "Here, I learned the importance of networking with other nurses who had experience in many different fields. I was taught why we need people in the nursing field to advocate for nurses and what our profession would be like without people willing to put their foot down for us."

Perkins, of Iuka, Mississippi, is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in nursing. During the TNA conference, Perkins met several other nursing students from around the country and learned several concepts. Perkins plans to graduate in May and intends to work as a labor and delivery nurse in the Jackson, Tennessee area.

The TNA's mission is to "empower the registered nurse, advocate for the practice of nursing, and champion quality health care for all Tennesseans." The association began in 1905 in an attempt to pass a law that would regulate nursing practices. That law was not passed until 1911 and today protects the public from unsafe nursing practices.