School of Nursing and Midwifery Inducts 220 Students

The School of Nursing and Midwifery of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has held an induction ceremony for 220 level 200 students.

The inductees, made up of 51 midwives and 169 nurses, were from the Department of Adult Health and the Department of Maternal and Child Health of the School.

The induction was on the theme: “Empowered by care, prepared to lead a journey of nurses and midwives”.

The Deputy Chief Nursing Officer of Emergency and Accident at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Mrs Evelyn Baawa Eyeson, urged the newly-inducted students to remain curious, proactive, and adaptable as they pursued their professional courses.

She told the students to take their theoretical and practical lessons seriously, indicating, “You shouldn’t only focus on the theory but also focus on the practical sessions.”

She called on the nursing and midwifery students to emulate Florence Nightingale, the mother of nursing, by showing compassion, civility, and politeness to patients who visit their facilities for care.

Mrs. Eyeson said the ‘Lady of the Lamp’, as Florence Nightingale was affectionately called, worked under more terrible conditions than current nurses, and yet she worked very hard and healed the sick with kindness and compassion.

“As we embark on the journey of nursing and midwifery, we honour the legacy of Florence Nightingale the lady of the lamp and Virginia Henderson, the modern-day nurse and others who paved the way,” she added.

Some inductees being robed at the ceremony

The Director of the Centre for Gender Research, Advocacy and Documentation (CERGRAD-UCC), Prof. Eunice Fay Amissah, said the theme for the induction was timely and advised the students to be compassionate, caring, professional and always remember their core mandate of providing quality care for patients whose need should be of paramount importance to them.

She said the induction signified a start of a new chapter for the students as they embarked on their educational journey.

The CEGRAD Director continued, “This induction is not just enrolling in this noble profession but a commitment to a life of service and excellence”.

Prof. Amissah urged the inductees to recognize the power of documentation and engage in research to ensure high-quality care to patients.

She called on the inductees to be disciplined, learn hard and eschew bad behaviour.

The Registrar, Gideon Enoch Abbeyquaye (Esq), in a remark, described nursing as an important profession and called on the inductees to consolidate the gains made in the profession.

The Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Prof. Jerry Paul K. Ninnoni, for his part, said that the School was ready to support the students to achieve their goals in the noble profession.

As part of the event, the inductees lit candles to indicate their readiness to emulate the good example of the mother of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale.

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC