Newman University recognized 24 candidates for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at the annual Nurses’ Pinning ceremony held May 10 on the Newman campus.
The event is a tradition in the nursing discipline that dates back approximately 130 years in the United States. At Newman, the director of the School of Nursing and Allied Health places nursing pins on graduate candidates’ lapels as a symbol of their completion of the baccalaureate of science in nursing (BSN) program. The Newman pin is unique to the university, and was designed by the first graduating BSN class at what was then Kansas Newman College.
The ceremony included a brief address by Director of the Newman School of Nursing and Allied Health Bernadette Fetterolf, Ph.D. She charged the nursing graduates to take a leading role in the inevitable changes healthcare professionals will encounter in the coming years.
“Healthcare of the future will experience a state of constant change and movement creating an atmosphere that feels uncertain and often chaotic,” Fetterolf said. “While the order and consistency brought about by good managers will still be needed, the influence of leaders concerned with vision, change and movement will be essential to the successful transformation of healthcare.”
Fetterolf added that the direction needed to effectively lead and adapt to these changes come from each individual.
“This sense of direction is based on who you are as a human being – your beliefs and values,” she said. “This directional focus, centered on the human dignity of all patients, will help ensure the right direction for the type of healthcare change that balances both business and caring.”
Each spring, the Newman University Nursing program selects an outstanding preceptor – a registered nurse who has made a significant impact on and contribution to the clinical education of Newman nursing students. This year, the program selected Kayleena Notario, an RN in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Wesley Medical Center. Notario was cited for helping students achieve a sense of independence and confidence, providing information to students on policies and procedures, current research and other materials to broaden students’ knowledge and understanding, and modeling excellent care to patients.
The ceremony concluded with the naming of the Distinguished BSN Graduate Award. The award is given to a graduating nursing student who has a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average and demonstrates an exceptional commitment to the nursing profession and involvement in the Newman and greater Wichita communities. The Spring 2013 award was bestowed upon Amy Trombley of Wichita.
The BSN candidates for Spring 2013 are:
Colwich, Kan.
Kayla Kelley
Derby, Kan.
Deana Miller
Sarah Rebold
Taci Wendler
Haysville, Kan.
Krista Lee
Mount Hope, Kan.
Michaela May
Newton, Kan.
Elizabeth Tallman
Peabody, Kan.
Hannah Miller
Towanda, Kan.
Abbey Nicholas
Valley Center, Kan.
Audrey Banes
Wellington, Kan.
Marissa Wiley
Wichita, Kan.
Michelle Cox
Connie Delperdang
Chelsea Griffith
Carrie Lemke
Megan Lubbers
Trang Nguyen
Jenifer Phelps
Kelie Ramirez
Tammy Ruth
Meredith Thunberg
Amy Trombley
Boston, Mass.
Abbera Baig
Portland, Ore.
Sandy McCune
