Surprise Recognition: Manchester Nursing Student Honored as Rising Star

MCPHS Manchester student receives the Student Nurse of the Year Rising Star award from the New Hampshire Nurses Association.

When Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) student Brett Simpson attended a recent nursing conference, his day took an unexpected twist.

"I thought I was going there for chair yoga," Simpson said.

It turns out that he was suddenly thrust into the spotlight and awarded the New Hampshire Nurses Association's Student Nurse of the Year Rising Star Award.

"It was nice to be recognized by my peers and professors," Simpson said. “Apparently, a lot of them knew about it beforehand, but it was definitely a surprise to me."

The nomination process involved professors, Carlene Blais, Associate Dean, School of Nursing, and peers in Simpson's tutoring and mentoring programs.

Assistant Professor Carla Smith, MSN, RN, said Simpson greatly represents the nursing program and what it stands for. "Brett is an amazing student and truly cares about patients and his peers," she said. "I can't wait to see what he does to shape the future of nursing."

Simpson will graduate on May 9 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)—Postbaccalaureate. He has already accepted a position with Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital, where he has worked as a certified nursing assistant for three years. He will also work per diem at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester on the medical surgery oncology unit.

"I'm jumping right in to the next chapter of my life," Simpson said. "I'm a person who just loves to work, and you can do that as a nurse. I am built for nursing and love being where the action is."

However, as the semester winds down, Simpson is taking a beat to bask in the twin achievements of Commencement and the pinning ceremony, a time-honored nursing school tradition. Often more personally meaningful than the graduation ceremony, pinning signifies a student's official initiation into the profession. In a full-circle moment Simpson’s mentor, Heather Kelsey, from the rehabilitation hospital, will pin him.

"She guided me into nursing more than anyone else,” he said. “I was teetering between physician assistant and nursing, and she basically told me that my gift of gab is a better fit for all the patient interaction involved in nursing."

Simpson said he's honored to be recognized by the New Hampshire Nurses Association for his accomplishments and grateful to everyone who helped and supported him at MCPHS, especially when he felt nervous about doing clinicals and asked for more hours to build his confidence.

"The past 16 months have been intense, but I feel truly prepared to enter the profession," Simpson said. "Every one of the professors care about you not just academically but you as a whole," Simpson said.

The Rising Star Award comes with a one-year membership to the American Nursing Association, providing invaluable resources and networking opportunities for Simpson.

As Simpson prepares to graduate and embark on his nursing career, he offers advice to aspiring nurses: "It's OK not to know everything. Ask for help when needed, and remember that nursing is a team-oriented profession focused on patient advocacy and holistic care."