Welcoming students to the nursing profession

The School of Nursing hosted its inaugural Welcome to the Nursing Profession ceremony in September to celebrate nursing students’ entry into the nursing profession.

“Congratulations on joining a community dedicated to excellence and advancing our legacy of trust of the people we serve,” said Dean Connie White Delaney, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI, FNAP. “This acknowledges your commitment to build your scientific knowledge, clinical acumen, problem-solving capabilities, and your passion and ability to provide unparalleled patient care and central obligation of caring.”

Laura Reed, DNP, RN, chief nursing executive and chief operating officer at Fairview Health Services, reflected on the nursing practice and what it takes to create a strong clinical nursing team. “It’s a big job. And you know what’s great about it? People trust us to do it and to do it well,” said Reed.

While white coat ceremonies are becoming more common for nursing students, the School of Nursing preferred to focus on the community students are entering and the competencies the profession requires.

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 Impact Statement, Code of Ethics for Nurses, and Scope and Standards of Nursing Practice as well as the 10 competencies that faculty identified as core to the nursing profession, including person-centered care, leadership, evidence-based practice and clinical reasoning.

“We want you to be fully aware of these competencies and through reflective practice, regularly assess how you are developing and growing in the context of these competencies,” said Mueller. She added that the school is providing all nursing students with a membership to the National Student Nurses Association, which is dedicated to fostering the professional development of nursing students.

With the Dean’s National Board of Visitors and faculty looking on, 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.”