Murray State University’s School of Nursing is one of 100 schools across the country selected to receive funding for a White Coat Ceremony.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the Arnold P. Gold Foundation announced yesterday the schools selected to receive up to $3,000 in financial support for resources and guidance.
“By offering White Coat Ceremonies, our schools are sending a clear message to new nursing students that compassionate care must be a hallmark of their clinical practice,” said Dr. Eileen T. Breslin, AACN President. “Securing a commitment to providing patient-centered care at the beginning of a nurse’s professional formation will help to raise the quality of care available to all patients.”
White Coat Ceremonies have been considered an important rite of passage at medical schools for almost two decades.
MSU School of Nursing Dean Marcia Hobbs says this will be the first time the university has held the ceremony, but she’s hoping this could be the start of a new tradition.
“What we will do is we’ll award them with a white lab coat and the organization supporting this is providing a pin to wear," said Hobbs. "And they will form a student committee to prepare some type of oath for them to take, probably a fairly general oath. The focus really is for them is to make a commitment towards compassionate care.”
Hobbs says the ceremony will take place on Friday, September 26th during MSU’s Family Week in Mason Hall and will include a small reception for students and guests.
Only three Kentucky nursing schools were selected for recognition, the others being Berea College and the University of Louisville.
