On Saturday, December 14, Concordia University Ann Arbor School of Nursing celebrated the Pinning Ceremony for the Delta Class, the third co-hort to graduate from CUAA's school of nursing.
Each semester, Concordia’s nursing faculty and staff nominate students from the graduating cohort who best represent the core values of the nursing program: service, excellence, compassion, and integrity. An additional award, the Nightingale Award, was created as a tribute to Florence Nightingale who embodied nursing as her life’s vocation. The recipient of this award exemplifies that same character and calling.
Click here to see all of the Fall 2019 School of Nursing award recipients.
The Nightingale Award: Hattie Thomas (’19)
Presented by Cindy Fenske
For the sick it is important to have the best. —Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale is an iconic figure who is responsible for the philosophy and underpinnings of modern day nursing. Prior to her, nursing was looked down upon as unimportant and was a low status job. Through her efforts, nursing was reborn into the trusted profession we know today. The name of Florence Nightingale is often associated with nursing excellence, compassion, service, and the ability to care for others no matter what the conditions. Florence Nightingale viewed nursing as her calling from God and gave her life and passion to the care of others. It is in her name that we give this award to a graduate who displays these same qualities.
The award this year goes to a student that is highly accomplished in many areas of nursing. They embody so many of the facets that make a great nurse. They are compassionate, exude excellence, have a servant’s heart, and maintain the highest level of integrity. In spite of numerous challenging roadblocks that could have derailed their educational journey, they worked hard, maintained focus, and always did their best, without ever once complaining. Their work was always done reliably and with excellence, even with a heavy work schedule. This person excelled at thinking like a nurse. They were consistently able to manage and prioritize demanding patient situations during both clinical and simulation, using a high level of nursing judgment and confidence in their decisions. The nursing team felt strongly that this person clearly represented the ideals that Florence Nightingale held so dear.
I proudly give this award to Hattie Thomas.
Previous Nightingale Awardees:
Caitlyn Freshour (Beta class, Spring 2019)
Samantha Southwell (Alpha class, Fall 2018)
Click here to learn more about Concordia’s School of Nursing.
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