New nursing students join the program

Nursing students receive their white coats

The White Coat Ceremony is a ceremony dedicated to current students and transfers who are entering the nursing program and starting their journey to becoming future nurses. The White Coat Ceremony took place on Monday, Jan. 9. During the event, nursing students received their white coats and were welcomed into their respective cohort and the first level of the nursing program. This new cohort is composed of students who have finished their prerequisite classes and are ready to finally enter the program where they will be trained to be professional health care workers.

The nursing program consists of five levels. During the ceremony, upperclassmen nursing students, faculty and some parents witnessed the welcoming of the new students. The ceremony was followed with the new nursing students getting their picture taken together and later on with all of the upper level nursing students and the nursing faculty.

The individuals who joined the program this semester are: Leo Fernando, Robert Benjamin Tengker, Eh Blay, Camryn Byers, Gaudence Uwamahoro, Jayce Treat, Lateefa Haydaw, Joel Barrett, Anthony Makhmudov, Morgan Cale, Abigail Condado, Kaci Day, Brooke Eitel, Andrea Garcia Hinojos, Jordan Gooding, Ariana Hernandez, Phoebe Hunter, Marissa Maly, Olivia McIntosh, Juanita Nicolas, Savannah Niebur, Holly Nitzel, Veronica Rivas and Katie Sanchez.

These students will undergo training and participate in clinicals soon to familiarize them with the professional health care world. Before the level one nursing students can go to clinicals, they will be required to learn the basic skills needed in order to provide basic care for a patient. A good majority of these skills will be acquired in classes such as Intro to Professional Nursing, Fundamentals, Health Assessment and Evidence Based Practice. These classes are taught by Professor Elysia Ockenga, who is the director of the program, Professor Renata Richardson, Professor Trista Ybarra and Professor Nicole Badura. Most students will be sent to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital for clinicals where they will be able to receive an authentic hands-on experience. Those who are not going to Madonna will be sent to Ambassador Health.

By: Robert Tengker