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‘Student Nurses’ Voices from Northern Europe’
Session One available here >>> Session Two available here >>>
Session Three available here>>> Session Four available here>>> Session Five available here>>> Session Six available here>>> |
Co-Hosts
Co-Sponsors
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Session Seven of our global ‘Student Nurses' Voices Speaker Series’
Session Seven of our 'Student Nurses’ Speaker Series’ features leading Student Nurses, their Professors and distinguished nursing leaders from Armenia, Belgium, Finland, Poland and the United Kingdom—engaged to be inspired and informative thought-leaders across the global public space—to advocate for achieving UN SDG # 3 and to influence the listening ears of everyone!
Building on the success of our Nurses’ Voices Speaker Series— this Student Nurse’ Voices Session continues our innovative global multi-media outreach of eight Sessions broadcasted from across the world. This Session was webcast on May 13, 2025 and Co-Hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR), UNITAR's CIFAL York Centre for training at York University in Toronto, Canada, and the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (NIGH). This Session was Co-Sponsored by the Commonwealth Nurses & Midwives Federation (CMNF), the Global Academy for Holistic Nursing (GAHN) and the Integral Nurse Coach Academy (INCA).
Building on the success of our Nurses’ Voices Speaker Series— this Student Nurse’ Voices Session continues our innovative global multi-media outreach of eight Sessions broadcasted from across the world. This Session was webcast on May 13, 2025 and Co-Hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR), UNITAR's CIFAL York Centre for training at York University in Toronto, Canada, and the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (NIGH). This Session was Co-Sponsored by the Commonwealth Nurses & Midwives Federation (CMNF), the Global Academy for Holistic Nursing (GAHN) and the Integral Nurse Coach Academy (INCA).
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This Session brings Student Nurses' Voices
into a dynamic global dialogue toward achieving a healthy & peaceful world. |
Presenters’ Bios
Introduction
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Baroness Dame Anne Marie Rafferty Speaking at minute 4:11
Baroness Anne Marie Rafferty DBE FRCN is a British nurse, academic and researcher recently appointed to the British House of Lords. She is the Professor of Nursing Policy and the former Dean of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care at King's College London and the Founding Director and President of the European Nursing Research Foundation. In 2020 — the WHO International Year of the Nurse & Midwife — she was appointed Dame Commander of the British Empire (CBE) — by Queen Elizabeth — for her broad and distinguished services to nursing across Britian, Europe, and
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the world. She is a historian, educator and health workforce and policy researcher who has also been awarded fellowships from the Royal College of Nursing, the Queens Institute, and the American Academy of Nursing. She was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Science in 2019 and a Member of the Academia Europaea in 2020. She is also a Fellow of King's College London where she has been the professor of nursing policy since 2004. Dame Rafferty was President of the Royal College of Nursing from 2019-21 and has been the recipient of various awards; the Nursing Times Leadership Award in 2014 and the Health Services Journal Top 100 Clinical Leaders Award in 2015 and was inducted onto the Sigma Theta Tau International Hall of Fame in 2016. Dame Rafferty graduated from Edinburgh University in Nursing Studies; obtained her MPhil (Surgery) from Nottingham University; and was the first nurse to gain a doctorate (DPhil) Modern History) from Oxford University.
Regional Introduction
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Manuel Ballotta Speaking at minutes 12:17. & 1:57.01
Manuel Ballotta is Policy Advisor for the European Federation of Nurses Associations, representing three million nurses in 36 EU and European countries. He holds a Master of Science in Political Science: European and International Governance from the Vrije Universiteit Brussels. His work as Policy Advisor for the European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN) started in April 2024. Since then, he has been covering several areas of EU policy impacting on the nursing profession, such as Education, Workforce, and Quality and Safety, including E-health and the Planetary Health. His research interests include the EU’s relations with great powers and Africa, and its global leadership in the promotion of democracy, human rights, and the fight against climate change.
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Co-Moderators
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Dr. Maria Theresa 'Tess’ Panizales
Speaking at minute 7:43 and throughout the Session Dr. Panizales serves on NIGH's Board of Directors and now as Co-Chair of NIGH's ‘Student Nurses' Voices Speaker Series.’ Previously, she took the lead for our 'Nurses' Voices from the Western Pacific' — Session Four of our 'Nurses' Voices Speaker Series' She also serves as NIGH's United Nations-NGO Representative in New York City. in July of 2023, she proactively participated in the launch of NIGH's 'Nurses' Voices' campaign — shared virtually
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and onsite from Switzerland and the 2023 Caux Forum 'Healing the Wounds of the Past.' She also shared her original language and culture by serving as NIGH's Advisor to establish the Tagalog / Filipino language version of the Nightingale Declaration. Dr Panizales has more than 40 years of professional nursing experience across the spectrum of healthcare both local and international — also including volunteer service. As a nurse leader, her goal is to engage and build the next generation of nurses through mentoring and role modeling. Her first nursing professional work was with the Red Cross. Hence, working with refugees in a public health context is her important connection. She is currently working at the Veterans HealthCare Administration.
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Dr. Deva-Marie Beck Speaking at minute 1:58 and throughout the Session
Dr. Beck is a Canadian American nurse, global citizen, and award-winning Nightingale scholar. For 20 years, she has served as a volunteer International Co-Director for the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health — leading workshops, keynotes, webinars, feature articles, videos, UN briefings, and to achieve NIGH’s UN ECOSOC ‘Special Consultative Status.’ She has recently been recognized as an Honorary Scholar of the Global Academy of Holistic Nursing (HSGAHN) for her leadership to promote and sustain global health care transformation and
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advocacy to achieve the United Nations SDGs. After a 30-year clinical career in Critical Care & Women's Health settings, she received her doctorate in 2002, from Union Institute & University, for her advocacy to achieve the United Nations SDGs. After a 30-year clinical career in Critical Care & Women's Health settings, she received her doctorate in 2002, from Union Institute & University, for her groundbreaking research to articulate Florence Nightingale’s relevance to today’s international health, development, education, and media. She has since authored and co-authored articles for numerous peer-reviewed journals and textbooks. Dr. Beck has recently achieved the highest-level Education Award from Toastmasters International — as a Distinguished Toast Master ‘DTM’. She now aims to use this ‘credential’ to develop innovative ways to encourage and engage nurses and concerned citizens to share their voices and tell their stories in the global public arena.
Panelists
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Nikola Osmulska Speaking at minute 20:58
Nikola Osmulska began her journey in nursing, inspired by a close relative with extensive experience in surgical care. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in nursing and is currently pursuing a Master's Degree at the Medical University of Łódź. Alongside her studies, she is developing her professional skills while working in a surgical ward. Since the beginning of her academic path, she has been actively involved in the Nursing Students' Association at the Polish Nursing Society, where she has served as Vice-Chair for the past two years and — as a Student Nurse — represents this Society in the European Federation of Nurse Associations. Through these roles, she promotes the nursing profession and supports young people in choosing their future career paths.
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Natasha Green Speaking at minute 26:25
Natasha Green's nursing journey began as a bold career change after the COVID-19 pandemic—a time that prompted deep reflection about purpose, passion, and how she could make a meaningful impact. As a mature and disabled student, stepping into nursing came with challenges. But every step has been driven by determination and a commitment to care.
Early in her studies, she was honoured to be elected as a student representative for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). This role gave her the platform to advocate for her peers and to be a voice for student nurses navigating the complexities of education and placement life. She has worked closely with the RCN to champion resolutions to improve student support — particularly during clinical placements where many face financial strain, accessibility barriers, and mental health challenges. |
Through advocacy, she has participated in working groups and RCN-led trials focusing on improving the student nurse experience and shaping future policy. Supporting fellow students — especially those who are mature, disabled, or facing unique challenges — has become a core part of her identity in this profession. Now, nearing the end of her student journey, Natasha is preparing to take on her first role as a renal nurse — a speciality she is incredibly passionate about. It’s the beginning of an exciting new chapter where she can combine her clinical skills, lived experience, and advocacy work to make a real difference. This journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been one of growth, purpose, and resilience. She is proud to be part of the future of nursing. And, she will continue to advocate for a profession that supports and uplifts every student who chooses to walk this path.
Attached please find the speech Natasha prepared as a Student Nurse representing the Royal College of Nursing during the 2025 International Nurses Week.
Attached please find the speech Natasha prepared as a Student Nurse representing the Royal College of Nursing during the 2025 International Nurses Week.
| natasha_green_representing_the_royal_college_of_nursing.pdf |
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Professor Mary E. Malone Speaking at minutes 35:07 & 1:43;10
Professor Mary E. Malone is Vice Dean of Education and Professor of Nursing at the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care at King's College London. She is responsible for ensuring that the Faculty’s education provision develops excellent, caring nurses, midwives and palliative care practitioners delivering evidence-based, research-driven care. Her expertise spans nurse and health visitor education, child and family health promotion, child and family public health and health. Between 2018-2021, she was Director of the Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery at Oxford Brookes University, which is a partnership between Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford Brookes University. There she has established ‘Director
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Rounds’ to meet with students, worked closely with NHS Trusts to champion collaborations between partners, refreshed the curriculum based on student feedback, widening access, and improving equality, diversity and inclusion. Before Oxford Brookes, Professor Malone had been at King’s and was Head of the Department of Adult Nursing in the Faculty. She is currently Principal Investigator on the COV-ed Nurse study, a UK-wide investigation into the extent to which nurse education prior to the pandemic prepared nurses for their role in COVID, analysing what works. Professor Malone is a Fellow of the Institute of Health Visiting and is involved in research in this area, including a current study on effective parenting support for vulnerable families, funded by Public Health England. Professor Malone was a Research Fellow of the National Nursing Research Unit, which was active between 1977-2015 and produced health service research for policymakers and healthcare leaders.
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Tuba Ansari Speaking at minutes 38.29 & 1:47:09
Tuba Ansari is a final-year Adult Nursing BSc student at King’s College London and currently works as a Band 3 Healthcare Assistant at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. With experience across acute medical, surgical and rehabilitation settings, she brings a strong foundation in person-centered care, clinical decision-making and interdisciplinary collaboration. Tuba also serves as Chair of the Nightingale Student Council at King’s, where she advocates for student voices and quality improvement. Her nursing journey has been shaped by diverse experiences in both the UK and the US, and she is passionate about holistic care, leadership development, and advancing equity in healthcare.
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Esha Sudera Speaking at minutes 45:08 & 1:52:36
Esha Sudera is a 3rd year Adult Nursing BSc student at the King’s College London, Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care. Since the commencing her academic journey, she has been enthusiastically involved in leadership, advocacy and student partnership. In her 1st year, she began her role as a Student Ambassador, supporting student engagement and promoting nursing as a dynamic and rewarding career path. In her 2nd year, she became Secretary of the Nightingale Student Council, contributing to student-led initiatives aimed at improving the learning environment. In her 3rd year, she advanced to the
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role of Vice-Chair, where she played a pivotal role in shaping student representation and collaborative projects across the faculty.
Esha is an honoured recipient of the Perseverance Trust Scholarship, which supports high-achieving nursing students who exceed academic expectations and demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence and service. She was also awarded a Student Partnership Impact Award by SEDA (Staff & Educational Development Association) in recognition of her initiative to enhance assessment and feedback practices at King’s — centering student voices leading to meaningful change in academic support.
Beyond the university setting, Esha is a proud member of British Sikh Nurses, supporting community outreach, culturally sensitive health promotion and public education. Her professional interests include Women and Children’s Health alongside a growing focus on research and health policy. She is particularly motivated to explore how evidence-based practice and policy development can advance equitable healthcare delivery on national and global scales. Esha hopes to develop advanced, specialised skills and deliver impactful care throughout her nursing career.
Esha is an honoured recipient of the Perseverance Trust Scholarship, which supports high-achieving nursing students who exceed academic expectations and demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence and service. She was also awarded a Student Partnership Impact Award by SEDA (Staff & Educational Development Association) in recognition of her initiative to enhance assessment and feedback practices at King’s — centering student voices leading to meaningful change in academic support.
Beyond the university setting, Esha is a proud member of British Sikh Nurses, supporting community outreach, culturally sensitive health promotion and public education. Her professional interests include Women and Children’s Health alongside a growing focus on research and health policy. She is particularly motivated to explore how evidence-based practice and policy development can advance equitable healthcare delivery on national and global scales. Esha hopes to develop advanced, specialised skills and deliver impactful care throughout her nursing career.
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Dr. Kristina Mikkonen Speaking at minutes 54:51 & 1:53:29
As a professor, Dr. Mikkonen's purpose is to produce high-quality scientific research and educate new creative experts, educators, and leaders for the changing field of social and health care in partnership with the scientific community at the University of Oulu, and with national and international collaborators. She leads a research group of Health Care Education and Competence (HealthEduCom). Her in-depth expertise is within the research area of education and competence of social and health care experts, work-related learning environments and mentoring, immigrant workforce, and digital technology education.
She leads, as a principal investigator, international and national research projects by actively |
implementing research outcomes in an educational context with students, educators, researchers, and organizational leaders. She integrates students into her research projects and guides them in the development and implementation of new evidence into educational and/or clinical practice. Dr. Mikkonen's research interests include:
- Hybrid intelligence and digital technology education, and its effects on the users
- Learning environments and mentoring
- Wellbeing and psychological safety
- Collaboration & interaction in education
- Competence-based education of vocational, higher degree, and continuous social- and healthcare education
- Cultural and linguistic diversity in healthcare education and workforce integration.
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Adam Graham Speaking at minutes 58:32 & 1:41:51
Adam has almost 10 years experience as a nurse in palliative care in the UK. He received an MSc with Distinction in Advanced Clinical Practice (Palliative Care) from University of Northumbria Newcastle (UK) and is currently a PhD candidate in Nursing Science at the University of Oulu (Finland). Adam’s research is focused on Palliative Care education and competence of undergraduate nurses with the implementation of digital technology, and specifically extended reality (XR).
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Paula Ropponen Speaking at minute 1:05:10
Paula Ropponen is a nursing professional and doctoral researcher, dedicated to the education and support of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) nursing students. Her interest in the unique challenges and opportunities faced by CALD students in healthcare integration comes from her ten years of experience working abroad as a nurse.
Paula is committed to improving educational outcomes and creating inclusive environments for CALD students. She is currently a doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu and a senior lecturer at Diakonia University of Applied Sciences. Paula is actively involved in |
projects aimed at enhancing the education and integration of CALD nursing students into the Finnish healthcare workforce. Her work focuses on developing education through research on VR simulation intervention in the training of CALD nursing students, and educational and project work at Diak. In her free time, Paula enjoys hiking in the wilderness, singing in a choir, and exploring culture and history.
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Dr. Alina Kushkyan Speaking at minutes 1:11:39 & 1:39:38
Dr. Alina Kushkyan is Founder of Erebuni Medical Academy Foundation in Yerevan Armenia. A long-time friend and colleague within NIGH's Advisory Council, she has served as our Russian Language Advisor and, most recently as one of our Armenian Language Advisors. From 1993 to 2003, she served as Director of the Armenian-American Medical College “Erebouni”. Throughout her career, she has committed her service to the healthcare,
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social, community and voluntary sectors, and academic and research activities. An advocate for nurses and international partnerships, she has been recognized and honored — globally — for her professional work.
The Armenian American Medical College “Erebouni” is the first Armenian school to offer 3-4 year education programs for nurses, including two years of basic Arts/Sciences education, with the last 2 years focused on clinical Nursing Education. The goal is to educate nurses to be critical thinkers, managers, patient educators, researchers and nurse educators themselves. Of this effort, Dr. Kushkyan has said, “being a pioneer in nursing education has been difficult but — with the support of partners at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California — this College now has the backing of the Armenian Ministry of Health.Our four-year Bachelor's of Science in Nursing program is the future of nursing — good for us from a political and an economic point of view."
Dr. Kushkyan has also served Head of the Department of Nursing Administration of Yerevan State Medical University since 2011. Since 2006, she has served as the Editor in Chief of the “Erebouni” Nursing Scientific Journal. Since 1999, she has served as Chief Nurse Specialist of Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia; as an Expert Group Member of the World Health Organization European Regional Office in Copenhagen between 2002 and 2005 and as a Member of the Board of Directors of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, from 2009 to 2013. She has also participated in many international and local conferences and congresses and made related reports.
In 2010, Dr. Kushkyan Chaired the Organizational & Scientific Council of the First Armenian International Nursing Congress convened in Yerevan, Armenia — bringing and hosting nursing faculty participants from across the world. She also Chaired follow-up Armenian International Nursing Congresses in 2013 and 2015, including a parallel Congress provided, for the first time, to nurses in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. NIGH’s team participated in both the 2013 and 2015 Congresses.
The Armenian American Medical College “Erebouni” is the first Armenian school to offer 3-4 year education programs for nurses, including two years of basic Arts/Sciences education, with the last 2 years focused on clinical Nursing Education. The goal is to educate nurses to be critical thinkers, managers, patient educators, researchers and nurse educators themselves. Of this effort, Dr. Kushkyan has said, “being a pioneer in nursing education has been difficult but — with the support of partners at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California — this College now has the backing of the Armenian Ministry of Health.Our four-year Bachelor's of Science in Nursing program is the future of nursing — good for us from a political and an economic point of view."
Dr. Kushkyan has also served Head of the Department of Nursing Administration of Yerevan State Medical University since 2011. Since 2006, she has served as the Editor in Chief of the “Erebouni” Nursing Scientific Journal. Since 1999, she has served as Chief Nurse Specialist of Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia; as an Expert Group Member of the World Health Organization European Regional Office in Copenhagen between 2002 and 2005 and as a Member of the Board of Directors of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, from 2009 to 2013. She has also participated in many international and local conferences and congresses and made related reports.
In 2010, Dr. Kushkyan Chaired the Organizational & Scientific Council of the First Armenian International Nursing Congress convened in Yerevan, Armenia — bringing and hosting nursing faculty participants from across the world. She also Chaired follow-up Armenian International Nursing Congresses in 2013 and 2015, including a parallel Congress provided, for the first time, to nurses in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. NIGH’s team participated in both the 2013 and 2015 Congresses.
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Manan Gasparyan Speaking at minute 1:20.02
Manan Gasparyan is a 17-year-old nursing student at Erebuni Medical Academy Foundation. She studied at School No. 177 and iscurrently completing her third year. While she studies nursing, her true passion lies in the beauty and aesthetics industry. She plans to pair nursing with becoming a future cosmetologist, driven by a deep love for helping others feel confident and beautiful and to be healthy and well.
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Lusine Asatryan Speaking at minutes 1:23;26 — 1:38:36 & 1:45:40
Lusine Asatryan collaborated with NIGH to create the Armenian Version of the Nightingale Declaration for A Healthy World. She is a graduate of the Armenian American Medical College, where she completed her nursing studies in 2023. Currently, she is continuing her medical education to become a doctor. Her time as a nursing student laid a strong foundation for her future in medicine—teaching her not only clinical skills and patient care, but also empathy, teamwork, and the human side of healthcare. Lusine believes that nursing shapes compassionate and attentive doctors and she carries these values with her on her path toward becoming a physician. Lusine has always seen medicine as more than science.
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To her, it’s about listening with the heart. On her journey to becoming a doctor, she’s sought not only knowledge, but also the needed quiet strength of compassion. Through global initiatives like Sigma Theta Tau International and the Nurses’ Voices Speaker Series of the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (where she has contributed to impactful sessions), she continues to grow, hoping to bring a little light wherever care is needed most.
