Mayo Clinic's CNO Frederick welcomes students into nursing profession at ceremony

The School of Nursing hosted a Welcome to the Nursing Profession ceremony Sept. 9 at Coffman Theater to celebrate Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Nursing students’ entry into the nursing profession.

“This ceremony acknowledges your commitment to build your intellect - scientific knowledge, clinical acumen, and problem-solving capabilities - along with your heart - passion and ability to provide unparalleled holistic patient, family, community, and planetary care. It is an affirmation of our central obligation not just to think and feel, but to act,” said Dean Connie White Delaney, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAMIA, FNAP.

Ryannon K. Frederick, MS, RN, chief nursing officer, Mayo Clinic, delivered the keynote. “I want you to know that in joining the profession, you’re going to have an impact on people and patients in ways that you can’t even imagine,” said Frederick. “As a nurse, you’re going to demonstrate compassion and intelligence that your patients and their families are going to remember forever.”

She shared examples of the impact nurses can make, at the bedside and as advocates for the profession and themselves. “Now more than ever the world needs nurses. Not just to care for the people who need our expertise, but also to be the force to improve our health care system. There is no other profession that is better to lead the future of health care than a professional nurse,” said Frederick.

Christine Mueller, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, senior executive associate dean for academic programs, spoke about the three documents that frame the profession, the Nursing’s Social Policy Statement, Code of Ethics for Nurses, and Scope and Standards of Nursing Practice as well as the 12 competencies that faculty identified as core to the nursing profession, including person-center care, leadership, evidence-based practice and clinical reasoning. “You’re going to learn more about them and their meaning for your practice as a professional nurse as you go through the nursing program,” said Mueller.

Mueller read statements based on the competencies and asked students to “consider the commitment of nurses to the health of all people and our planet and the role of nurses in shattering racism in health care and in the world.”

She announced that the school is providing all nursing students with membership to the National Student Nurses Association, which is dedicated to fostering the professional development of nursing students. In addition, students also received a bookmark with the 12 competencies to serve as a regular reminder of them.

BSN seniors Anna Schumann, Minnesota Student Nurses Association president, and Anna Karr, Minnesota Student Nursing Board regional director, encouraged students to participate in student professional associations to develop deeper connections with students and to the community of nursing at the school.

Sophomore students in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and first-year Master of Nursing students read a commitment to the profession. It stated, in part, “As a future professional nurse dedicated to providing the highest quality care and service, I am committed to act in a compassionate and trustworthy manner in all aspects of my care to patients, families and communities. I commit to apply knowledge, experience and skills to the best of my ability to assure optimal outcomes for those in my care.”