Graduating nurse Shaylee Ducharme receives her pin from Dr. Netha Dyck, Dean, College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.
Symbolic pins given to new nurses welcomes them to the profession
There are no limits to where these graduates will end up
This fall’s graduating nurses were told the opportunities are endless at the annual College of Nursing pinning ceremony October 18 preceding their University of Manitoba convocation.
“I’m most excited that nursing is extremely open-ended. There are so many different paths I can take. I may know where I want to go tomorrow but in 10 years it could be the complete opposite,” said Jenna North, valedictorian for the fall 2018 graduating class.
Organized by the Nursing Students’ Association, the Pinning Ceremony symbolically welcomes new nurses to the profession. After receiving their pin they recited the University of Manitoba bachelor of nursing (BN) pledge, recognizing their initiation into the brotherhood and sisterhood of nurses.
By reciting the pledge, nurses vow to practice with integrity, uphold the standards of the profession and dedicate themselves to confidentiality, collaboration and quality patient care.
“You are part of an evolving legacy, you are the nurses, nursing leaders and faculty of tomorrow. I am proud of your achievements and confident about our future with you as our new nursing leaders,” said Dr. Netha Dyck, Dean, College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.
“Nursing is wonderful in the fact that we get a lot of positive reinforcement whether that be from patients but also feeling that you are contributing to a well and healthy society,” added North.
Those who spoke at the event highlighted the important roles nurses play in many lives. “Being a registered nurse has been the most fulfilling and rewarding experience I’ve ever had and you will be allowed to work in a variety of roles and settings. And most importantly, help make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and groups that you will work with,” said Mary Smith, executive director, Association of Registered Nurses of Manitoba.
This fall’s cohort of BN graduates is the first graduating class to study and complete their degrees using the new concept-based curriculum. Concept-based learning challenges students to think more critically about what they are learning and the situations they encounter by applying prior knowledge and experience.
“I’m most excited to practice. I’ve been in university for a while and am finally ready to move on and apply what I’ve learned,” says graduating nurse Shaylee Ducharme, a University of Manitoba Access Program (UMAP) student. UMAP is located in Migizii Agamik and provides a support network designed to increase Indigenous student success.
Some of North and Ducharme’s fondest memories from nursing come from their experiences in clinical settings.
“I had a patient who was very ill and he had said to me that he had never had someone treat him with such respect and kindness,” recalled North. “I took that home with me and reflect on it daily,”
Ducharme started at the College of Nursing wanting to become a community health nurse like her mom. “I saw how she was able to look after our community back at home,” she says. Through clinical practice she saw that she could have the same impact, “I was able to build trust with patients and have the opportunity to make a positive impact on their experience when accessing health care.”