 |
| Virgina Trotter Betts
addresses Union's nursing graduates during a special dedication
ceremony. |
Jackson, Tenn. – In a special dedication ceremony held the Friday
night before graduation and looked forward to by nursing staff and
students alike, nursing graduates were honored for their time invested in
the program and were awarded their nursing pins, a symbol of their
achievement as a nurse.
"Tonight is truly a historic and symbolic ceremony - exemplifying
all of the hard work that's been done," said Virginia Trotter Betts,
keynote speaker at the event and former national senior advisor on nursing
and policy.
Betts challenged the graduates to continue their education in the
coming years.
"An earned degree is just a first step. To be a good nurse, you
must pursue life-long learning," said Betts. "May you use your
excellent education abilities and knowledge to promote the health of all
people. That is health. That is nursing."
 |
| Union Nursing graduates
participate in the traditional lamp lighting ceremony during the
annual dedication event. |
The forty nursing graduates all received their nursing pins, lamps and
led in the international pledge of nurses, which is considered a code of
ethics for all nurses worldwide. Each nurse was also provided with a
nurse's New Testament by the Gideons International.
 |
| Joann Green, winner of
the Georgia Wilson Nursing Award receives her bachelor of science in
Nursing. |
"The pins are worn with pride and a sense of accomplishment,"
explained Dr. Susan Jacob, dean of the School of Nursing. "The lamp
comes from the days of Florence Nightingale, which she used in making
rounds for wounded patients. It is a symbol of caring, compassionate
nursing." Jackson Madison County General Hospital provides the lamps
to the graduates annually.
Awards were also given to the following students:
Georgia Wilson Nursing Award - Joann Green of Mayfield, KY
Fannie J. Watt, RN, Award in Psychiatric Nursing - B.J. Cox of
Yampa, CO
Fannie J. Watt, RN Professional Nursing Award - Janice McCormick
The Nursing Faculty Award - Amanda Graves of Jackson, TN
Terry Robinson Nursing Award - Christopher White of Jackson, TN
Sigma Theta Tau Award - Becky Emerson of Henderson, TN
Spirit of Nursing Award - Christopher White of Jackson, TN
The Emily Saffel Nursing Award - Wendy Wolfe of Owensboro, KY
The Nursing Class of 2000 presented the faculty with a new refrigerator
for their faculty lounge and a slide show ended the evening, leaving the
graduates with fond memories of their years spent at Union.
|
