The ADN program on the East Liverpool Campus held its inaugural White Coat Ceremony during which 44 nursing students received white coats that will help establish their “professional identity” and coincides with the beginning of their clinical training.
This is the first time such a ceremony was held for ADN students on any Kent campus but is now certain to become a tradition. As the students’ names were called alphabetically, Manda Adkins became the first-ever Kent State ADN student to receive a white coat.
Led by Tara Murphy, program director and faculty member, the students recited a pledge to accept and uphold the tenets of the nursing profession that include integrity, excellence, compassion, collaboration, altruism, respect, resilience, empathy and service.
Senior Lecturer Angela Douglass offered a “blessing of the hands” to signify how the students’ hands will perform life-saving tasks; bring comfort and peace to patients and families; and provide care to the sick and scared.
The White Coat Ceremony was established in 1993 at Columbia University by the Gold Foundation as a way to highlight the importance of humanism while caring for patients by those who are training to become healthcare professionals. For more than 30 years, these types of ceremonies have occurred at medical schools and began with nursing schools in 2014.
Aside from the white coat, each student received a lapel pin from the faculty on behalf of the Gold Foundation.
The ADN students honored in the White Coat Ceremony included Manda Adkins, Joshua Adu, Sarah Andrews, Nathanial Armstrong, Zhane Armstrong, Caitlin Bable, Kara Boone, Sydney Call, Mackenzie Cendroski, Makayla Colwell, Kalena Connell, Irene Edwards, Courtney Grace, Jessica Gullett, Jaiden Hancock, Faith Haney, Abbie Henry, Lucille Hudak, Ashlee King, Casey LeMasters, Krysten Lewis, Natalie MacDonald, Shaylon Mackall, Sara McCaughey, Emma McFarland, Drew Mitchell, Brooke Morris, Bella Neapolitan, Sydney Nicoara, Chelsy Oiler, Annaliesse Perez-Booksing, Tawnya Philips, Gianna Rodgers, Destiny Rosa, Heather Rossi, Erin Roush, Kayla Spring, Jenna Stassinis, Marissa Stewart, Faith Vassar, Taylor Watson, Gianna Williams, Tanqueray Williams and Teira Wright.
Cutline A: Blessing of the hands.
Cutline B: Angela Douglass, ADN senior lecturer, presents a pin to Manda Adkins who was the first ADN student to receive a white coat at Kent State.
Cutline C: ADN students after receiving their white coats.