Mount St. Joseph’s annual Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) White Coat Ceremony occurred just a few weeks ago.
Families, friends, and loved ones gathered in the Mater Dei Chapel to celebrate the 33 sophomore nursing students receiving their white coats and MSJ branded stethoscopes, a new addition this year. The White Coat Ceremony is a very special celebration for these students, and an uplifting moment for everyone who gets to witness it.
What is the white coat ceremony, and what does it signify for nursing students? A White Coat Ceremony is an event where an individual, usually a professor or loved one, gets the honor of presenting a student nurse with a white coat. This ceremony can take place at different times in nursing students' careers; however, at MSJ we gift the white coat to sophomores during their fall semester before they start clinicals, signifying the beginning of their new chapter and new life as nursing students. At the ceremony they pledge to honor, care, and listen to their patients, all traits of the Gold Humanism Oath they took at the end of this ceremony. Seeing them take this oath in person was inspiring to me, a non-nursing student. It made me strive to want to do my best, and put my best foot forward in my educational field. These nursing students put in so much work to get their coats, and we should all be proud of them because I know they’re proud of themselves!
Isabella (Bella) Fischer, one of the students who received her coat, shared what the white coat ceremony signified to her: “The white coat ceremony serves as a powerful symbol of achievement, dedication, and resilience. Reflecting on my first semester last year, I remember the mix of fear and excitement I felt as I embarked on my nursing journey. Now, I look back with immense pride at all I have accomplished and the invaluable experiences I’ve gained throughout the program. Each of us has worked tirelessly to earn the privilege of wearing the white coat, and being presented with it was a truly special moment for me. It not only highlighted how far I’ve come but also reaffirmed my capabilities and fueled my determination to pursue my dreams.”
This ceremony was wonderful to watch, and I will always take encouragement from it as I embark on the next steps in my educational career. Honoring the perseverance and hard work of these nursing students was well deserved. Those of you who attended can attest to this wondrous event.