More Than 70 Future Nurses Celebrated in Annual Tradition

The largest incoming class of students admitted to St. Francis College's undergraduate nursing program were honored at the Fourth Annual Nursing White Coat Ceremony, on February 2.

"This ceremony has become an important rite of passage for students who have achieved academically and can now pursue their dream to become registered nurses," said Eleanor Kehoe, Chair of the Nursing Department.

The ceremony continues a tradition that adds special meaning in recognizing the vital role nurses play in the health care system.

More than 200 students are now enrolled in the undergraduate BS in Nursing at St. Francis, with the first class of graduates having performed remarkably well on their NCLEX Nursing certification test.

Last year's graduates are now working across the city at hospitals and health care organizations including; New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist, NYU, Maimonides Medical Center, Visiting Nurse Services, and several others.

The College places a heavy focus on technology in its four year undergraduate Nursing program as well as its two-year RN to BS program. A Sim-lab features a collection of robot simulators that mimic thousands of symptoms for students to diagnose. All the work is captured on video, giving instructors the opportunity to pinpoint specific areas for improvement.

White Coat ceremonies first became popular more than 20 years ago and were exclusively for students in medical school. They have spread to Nursing in an effort to create a stronger sense of community among all healthcare workers and recognizing their value as part of the healthcare team.

St. Francis College, founded in 1859 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, is located in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Since its founding, the College has pursued its Franciscan mission to provide an affordable, high-quality education to students from New York City's five boroughs and beyond.

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