Worcester State University will hold its first-ever Gold-AACN White Coat Ceremony for Nursing on Thursday, October 22 at 6 p.m. in the May Street Building. This ceremony marks the official entrance of first-year students into the study of nursing. The Gold-AACN White Coat Ceremony for Nursing is held at the beginning of an academic year to welcome and initiate new nursing students while underscoring the importance of humanistic, patient-centered care.
At the ceremony, students take an oath to accept the responsibilities of becoming a nursing student and are then ceremoniously cloaked in a white coat. Participants in the ceremony include first-year nursing students in the pre-licensure BS in Nursing program.
Sixty-eight students are expected to participate in the event, where family and friends are invited to come witness their oath. The event was made possible with a grant from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation.
Though White Coat Ceremonies have been an important rite of passage at medical schools for more than 20 years, this new collaboration between Arnold P. Gold Foundation and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing marks the first time a coordinated effort has been developed to offer similar events at schools of nursing.
“This event underscores the importance of nurses in health care. It allows students, who are focusing just on coursework in their first year of studies, to reflect on their chosen profession and the importance of humanism in providing care to patients. It should also bond students and faculty, as they realize their shared goals in health care. Nurses typically spend more time with patients than any other healthcare provider. We must focus on providing compassionate care and embed humanism into our practice in order to improve the patient care experience and improve patient outcomes,” said Associate Dean for Nursing Dr. Stephanie Chalupka.
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