Nursing & Health Professions

Sticking Point

December 13, 2022 by University Communications & Marketing

Pinning Ceremony marks rite of passage for graduating nursing students

“Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses … we must be learning all of our lives.”
Florence Nightingale

Minutes after completing his final exam, Nainoa Gaspar-Takahashi ’22 began to muse about his remarks for the time-honored Nursing Pinning Ceremony, a rite of passage for soon-to-be graduates or graduating Nursing School students.

“After all the obstacles, especially when COVID happened, I can finally see the end of the tunnel,” says Gaspar-Takashi, referring to the ritual ceremony. “It has been a long journey for me and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.”

A total of 49 nursing students received their stoles and pins during the ceremony, which occurs at the end of a student’s program in a school of nursing, and signifies the completion of this level of education and an official initiation into the profession.

Gaspar-Takahashi points out that this official observance is different from the commencement that he will participate in May 2023, adding that many of his peers share the opinion that this ritual is even more significant for them. For the Kaneohe native, the Pinning Ceremony symbolizes that a student is now formally a member of the sisterhood and brotherhood of nurses, and is ready to serve the community as a healthcare professional.

“Nursing has often been referred to as a ‘calling’ and this Pinning Ceremony is based on the history of this respected profession,” Gaspar-Takashi says. “I now feel like I’m now on the frontline of helping people get better.”

In Chaminade’s School of Nursing and Health Professionals version of the Pinning Ceremony, it’s a student’s family member—and not faculty like at some celebrations at other schools—who presents the Chaminade-blue stole and offers words of congratulations.

“It’s very meaningful for the student to have a parent or loved one place the stole around their neck,” says School of Nursing and Health Professions Dean, Rhoberta Haley, Ph.D. “My late mom was a nurse and when she attended my Pinning Ceremony, she wore hers. It’s very symbolic and we take great pride in our pins.”

The history of the Pinning Ceremony dates back to the 12th century when the Crusaders were cared for by the Knights of the Order of the Hospital of St. John the Baptist. When new monks entered the order, they vowed to serve the sick soldiers in a ceremony during which each monk was given a Maltese cross badge.

The modern ceremony started in the 1860s when Queen Victoria awarded Florence Nightingale the Red Cross of St. George to recognize her service as a military nurse during the Crimean War. To share the honor, Nightingale —whom many deem the founder of modern nursing—later presented medals of excellence to her brightest nursing students.

In 1916, the Pinning Ceremony became standard practice for new graduates in the United States as a way to welcome them into the profession. While once reserved for outstanding students, today it includes all students who successfully complete their nursing education.

The last time that guest speaker Bridget Lai spoke at a Pinning Ceremony was her own in May 2001. “It’s been a long time, but when I received the invitation from Dean Haley, not only was I thrilled and excited, but all the memories of that day–over 20 years ago—came rushing back to me,” said Lai, Hawaii Pacific Health’s Nursing Education Manager. “While I absolutely value my degree, the Pinning Ceremony spoke directly to me and the personal calling that I answered to become a nurse. Your pin tells the world—you can do anything, four words that have stayed with me, and grown and evolved with my professional nursing practice.”

In addition to the pinning, some ceremonies often include a candle- or lamp-lighting to symbolize the nighttime care Nightingale gave to wounded soldiers by candlelight. Graduates also recite the International Pledge for Nurses.

“We take this oath seriously,” Gaspar-Takahashi says with sincerity. “And now I look forward to being present as an employee and not a student, and making a difference in a patient’s care.”

Gaspar-Takahashi’s education, though, isn’t quite over. His next classroom will be the emergency room at Straub Medical Center, where he will be the graduate nurse before officially obtaining his Registered Nurse license.

“This nursing program instilled in us the Marianist values of service and compassion,” Gaspar-Takahashi asserts. “I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given. I was not only taught the nursing academy but I learned a lot about life lessons.”

Annual Ceremony Anoints the Hands of Healthcare Workers, Nursing Students

November 3, 2022 by University Communications & Marketing

“There may come a time when recovery lies in the hands of physicians, for they too pray to the Lord that he grant them success in diagnosis and in healing for the sake of preserving life.”

Ecclesiasticus 38:1-4,6-10,12-14

In the book of Ecclesiasticus, it is said, “to honor physicians for their services, for the Lord created them.” The same could be said for students who seek a career in the medical field, and for all caregivers and those working in the medical profession. Sponsored by Campus Ministry, the annual St. Luke’s Blessing at the Mystical Rose Oratory honors these students by anointing their healing hands.

“Let us pray for all healthcare workers and those preparing for the healthcare profession,” said School of Nursing Professor Edna Magpantay-Monroe, in her closing prayer. “That their healing hands might bring comfort, hope, reassurance and joy to all those whom they serve.”

University chaplain Rev. Marty Solma, S.M., presided over the blessing, noting that this is a wonderful opportunity every year to honor those who embrace a life of service through healthcare nursing and to receive an anointment of their hands to recognize the importance that hands are in this critical profession. He then rhetorically asked, why is it that we bless the hands of medical professionals?

“It’s a tradition in in a number of churches in our Catholic tradition,” he replied. “It recognizes that of all the tools you have available to you, your hands will serve your patients directly and most personally. Medicine is important; surgery is often needed. But it’s your hands that will bring tenderness and care, and comfort and reassurance.

St. Luke was indeed blessed with the gift of healing. Deemed the first Christian physician on record and the Patron of the Medical Profession, Luke has influenced thousands of healthcare workers who have followed in his footsteps.

In his letter to the Colossians, St. Paul describes Luke as “the beloved physician,” (Colossians 4:14). In Lives of Illustrious Men, written circa A.D. 393, St. Jerome refers to him as “a physician of Antioch.”

Believed to be the author of the Gospel that bears his name, as well as of the Acts of the Apostles, Luke’s profession as a doctor is apparent in his writings. He includes more miracles of physical healing than any of the other Gospels, 13 compared to 12 in Matthew, 11 in Mark and only two in John. He uses more medical terms than any other New Testament writer. His description of the ailing reveals a knowledge of medicine that is absent in the other Gospels, using such precise medical terms as “dropsy” (Luke 14: 1-6), fever and dysentery.

“It’s my honor to participate in this very important ceremony to bless the hands of our nursing and healthcare professional students, and any of you who may be practicing nurses or other healthcare professionals,” said Chaminade University president, Dr. Lynn Babington. “The professionalism, care and compassion inherent in your profession are strengthened by this blessing. It also symbolizes commitment to your patients.”

Finding Your Passion and Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

October 4, 2022 by University Communications & Marketing

Brittany Johnson ’24 had a lot of life under her belt when she applied to Chaminade University.

She’d already served in the Air Force, after enrolling right out of high school. She’d earned her first degree—a bachelor’s in Community and Public Health from the University of South Carolina. She’d gone back into military service, joining the Army and shipping off to Hawaii’s Schofield Barracks.

Her experiences helped her grow—and drove her to realize something: she thrived on helping others.

So she decided to turn her talents to Nursing and applied to several universities as she prepared to complete her Army obligations. She was packing up, anticipating she would have to move back to the mainland, when she got word from Chaminade that she’d been accepted. “I ended up at Chaminade, was awarded scholarships to help and never looked back,” she said. “I am so happy that I did.”

In the Nursing program and across campus, Johnson said, she found a community that offered supportive encouragement and a warm atmosphere. They celebrated her unique perspective. And they connected her with a host of opportunities that helped her put her learning into action.

“There was a time in my life when I didn’t know the value of people. I didn’t know how to ask for or receive help,” she said. “But at Chaminade, I’ve always felt like part of the family. I could not have done what I have done without the people around me, my professors and mentors and my peers.”

It was helping hands at Chaminade that got her connected to a cutting-edge internship with the Air Force Research Laboratory, where she pored over research into nanomaterials. She focused on luciferase, a light-producing enzyme found in fireflies that can be used in x-ray machines.

The evolving technology could be a safer option, especially for those who require multiple x-rays.

Johnson analyzed the available literature to put together an in-depth poster on the potential opportunities and limitations with the nanomaterial. She then delivered a presentation to the board of directors for the program. The Air Force could now end up pursuing further research into luciferase.

For Johnson, the internship wasn’t just exciting, it was challenging. “Five years ago, I could not have projected I would be doing this kind of work,” Johnson said. “It truly took a team of people to do that.”

She liked the experience so much, she opted to extend it. This fall, she’s interested in researching nanomaterials that could help physicians detect cancer earlier, leading to better patient outcomes.

And that’s not the only internship that’s been keeping Johnson busy.

Chaminade also connected her with an internship for Summer 2022 with the National Hemophilia Foundation’s Hawaii chapter. She jumped at the chance to work closer with patients and their families while helping to raise awareness for a condition that not many people fully understand.

“Over the course of the summer, I did everything from help to plan events to assist with fundraising efforts,” she said. “But the highlight was attending a summer camp for kids with hemophilia. These kids feel ostracized a lot of the time, but at camp with their peers they got to really enjoy themselves.”

Kids with hemophilia often can’t participate in the same activities because their blood doesn’t clot properly, meaning even relatively small injuries can be dangerous. Hearing from families about how they manage the disease, Johnson said, helped her gain important perspective as a nurse in training.

“It was so fulfilling,” she said. “And it helped me put a spotlight on people whose voices we don’t oftentimes hear. I didn’t know these people are right next door to me. They’re in our community.”

As she makes progress toward graduation, Johnson said she is especially grateful to the Career Development team at Chaminade—especially career advisor Diane Yang. Johnson said the internships Yang and her team connected her with have helped her grow as a learner and a leader.

“It’s not easy to get out of your comfort zone,” she said, “but there’s no better way to learn.”

Chaminade University Receives $75,000 Grant from Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation

August 31, 2022 by University Communications & Marketing

Chaminade University of Honolulu recently received a $75,000 grant from the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation for student scholarships. The grant will be split to fund physical and behavioral health majors for the 2022-2023 school year. Scholarships will range from $1,000 to $10,000, depending on financial need.

The scholarships will target students entering high value majors with a focus on physical and behavioral health professions as key to Hawai‘i’s recovery and economic resilience. These majors include Chaminade’s new 20-month accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program that allows students to complete their nursing degree in five back-to-back terms and its Community and Public Health program that prepares students for careers including as a community health worker, health educator, and public health investigator.

The Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation has provided funding for student scholarships to Chaminade University since 2014. The Foundation was established in 1993 by entrepreneurs Mamoru and Aiko Takitani, founders of Hawaiian Host, to assist the youth of Hawai‘i with their goals. Since its establishment, the Foundation has donated $2.3 million in scholarships and provided educational opportunities to students in Hawai‘i.

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Chaminade University of Honolulu believes in the power of education to drive positive change, broaden perspectives and deepen our understanding of one another. With an emphasis on transformative service-learning experiences, we prepare students to serve as tomorrow’s leaders, inspiring and challenging them to use their minds and their hearts to help build stronger and more just communities. We are proud to serve as Hawai‘i’s only Marianist university, and rely on these values to guide us in delivering a high-quality education with an individualized approach and a focus on excellence, innovation and change. Established in 1955, we offer more than 30 undergraduate and graduate programs, including doctoral degrees in education, psychology and nursing practice. Learn more at chaminade.edu.

Pre-College Summer Institutes 2022

August 30, 2022 by University Communications & Marketing

“Cooking with Chemistry”

“Think Like a Champion”

“Psychology of Happiness”

Those might sound like great reads—or fascinating TED Talks.

But they were actually some of the engaging and hands-on courses offered at Chaminade University over the summer to groups of Hawaii high schoolers. The students were participants in Chaminade’s Summer Institutes, made possible at the university thanks to a partnership with the federal GEARUP program.

The workshops are designed to give high school students a taste of college—and get them hooked.

Participants this year for the seven, two-week sessions included ninth to 12th graders from Farrington, Kaimukī, Ānuenue and McKinley high schools. And in addition to going on field trips and tackling fun projects, they got the chance to attend co-curricular sessions on college readiness. The topics covered everything you’d need to know as you prepare to graduate from high school and plan for college, including applying for financial aid, navigating admissions and student life.

Pure Imagination

Aaron Williamson, assistant professor of Accounting, taught a session called “The Successes of Pure Imagination: Business Development and Entrepreneurial Mentorship.” He said the course was designed as “an immersion into the world of entrepreneurship”—from business plan development, brainstorming sessions, strategic thinking skills-building and the application of “principles of success” in daily life.

“The entire process of teaching the course was memorable—from idea inception to business plan presentations,” he said. “Having a small part in assisting students to see how an idea can impact the world and developing theoretical businesses that will be on the streets of tomorrow is so enjoyable.”

Cooking with Chemistry

In Dr. Francis Sakai-Kawada’s “Cooking with Chemistry” course, students tie-dyed their lab coats to better understand the chemistry of dyes, made their own bars of soap as they explored the properties of saponification, and took chemistry into the kitchen to make butter, mayonnaise, boba and ice cream.

“The goal was develop activities that were hands-on and engaging,” he said. “We had the creative license and flexibility to tie underlying scientific and chemistry concepts to every activity. Our priority was to incorporate an element of fun. We wanted our students to see that so much of what we deal with in our daily life can be related to chemistry, from food to household cleaning products.”

Kawada added that students started the course a little shy, but slowly opened up.

And the highlight of the session: visiting the IL Gelato Factory to talk story with owner Dr. Dirk Koeppenkastrop (a fellow chemist), who discussed his path from a chemistry lab to studying the art and science of gelato in Italy and the “perfect ratio of ingredients” that goes into the sweet treat.

Psychology of Happiness

Dr. Abby Halston, an assistant professor of psychology at Chaminade and clinical director of the university’s Marriage and Family Counseling program, taught the “Psychology of Happiness” course—which incorporated everything from guided meditation and breathing to personal journaling.

Students also put together personal stress management plans, worked to identify their hopes and dreams for college and beyond, and participated in mock career development interviews. The group also got to go on a field trip to Beyond Monet, an immersive experience into the artist’s works.

“I wanted to create a fun and life-changing institute where high school students could gain deep personal insight into their psychological wellbeing while learning personal management skills that could be utilized throughout their lifespan,” Halston said. “We focused on understanding the keys to happiness … and the power of our mindset to achieving our hopes and dreams.”

She added, “I cannot wait until next summer’s institute!”

For the Love of Math

For the Summer Institutes course on “Creating Number Sense to Increase Love of Math,” Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Travis Mukina wasn’t just teaching math fundamentals, but un-teaching some bad math habits. “Most days consisted of mental math activities that forced students to view numbers in ways their elementary school teachers did not allow,” Mukina said. “We broke numbers apart, changed their values and accommodated for the change at the end of the problem.”

“Hands-on manipulatives were also used daily to allow students to visually see how the numbers were working with each other in multiple different strategies. Every activity ensured the students were learning from each other rather than from me. It was amazing to witness!” Mukina added.

He said one of the big takeaways for students was that math isn’t a set of rules and procedures to memorize, but about creativity and flexibility. Mukina also wanted participants to see how math can be used seamlessly in everyday life—and how even complicated things can be broken down.

“I feel so honored to be part of this summer institute,” he said.

Living Pono

For the “Living Pono” institute, School of Nursing and Health Professions Professors Dr. Jennifer Nafarrete and Dr. Edna Magpantay-Monroe covered a wide range of health topics—from nutrition to human anatomy and physiology to reproductive health. Along the way, students tried their hand at cooking, engaged in some friendly competition, and put together presentations to tackle big topics.

Magpantay-Monroe said students really enjoyed the concepts of emotional intelligence and mindfulness, and especially loved their field trip to Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden—where they were challenged to strengthen their ability to “notice” and “be with nature.”

“I really enjoyed being a source of information to these students—helping them realize self-care is important but they also need to be self-aware of what is happening around them,” she said. “Being with nature helped increase their capacity to be mindful and reduce their stressors.”

Nafarrete added she was also happy to give students actionable, healthy solutions they can use everyday—like recipes. “My thought process was to find fun ways to engage students into making conscious choices about their health while considering how it affects the environment,” she said.

Think Like a Champion

Dr. Guanlin Gao, associate professor of Economics at Chaminade and director of the Economic Education Center for Excellence, focused on personal finance literacy in her course, “Think Like a Champion.” She wanted students to walk away with a better understanding of how to handle money.

“We spent one day visiting a local financial institution to learn more about how they operate and contribute to managing personal finances,” Gao said. “We spent another day on a fun team competition that involved budgeting, shopping and cooking. We even played a game that was all about inflation.”

Gao said the point of all the exercises was to help students see how better (and smarter) financial decisions ultimately lead to happier lives. “Interacting with the students was my favorite part,” she said. “For many of them, our trip to a bank was the first time they’d seen an actual vault. During our cooking competition, they all made nutritious meals. The best part: they were so proud of themselves.”

Chaminade Hosts Virtual Forum with Medical Team Who Performed the First Pig-Heart Transplant

June 24, 2022 by University Communications & Marketing

In January 2022, 57-year-old David Bennett, Sr., was suffering from terminal heart disease when he made history—and grabbed headlines—as the first person to receive a genetically modified pig’s heart. The groundbreaking operation inspired millions and heralded a new frontier in transplant science.

Bennett, Sr., lived for two months with his donor heart before his condition deteriorated and he was administered palliative care when it was clear he would not recover. David Bennett, Jr., said his father will be remembered for his humor, his kindness, and his ardent belief in the power of education.

It was that legacy that helped make a rare opportunity a reality for the Silversword community.

On the afternoon of May 31, about 100 Chaminade faculty members and students gathered for “Advances in Porcine Xenotransplantation,” a virtual forum with Bennett, Sr.’s, medical team and his son. The event was an opportunity for attendees to unpack the latest on the first-of-its-kind transplant, while also learning more about David Bennett, Sr., the “goofy” patient and beloved father and grandfather.

“It’s an honor and privilege to do this for my dad, who helped to advance science,” David Bennett, Jr., told participants. “He was always generous with his time and he always reminded me how proud he was of me. My dad was somebody who had lots of friends and who got along with people very well.”

Dr. Bartley Griffith, the world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon who performed the surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center, said Bennett, Sr., was a “terrible candidate” for the operation “in the truest sense of the word.” His overall health was poor and his ability to fight infections low.

“He would be classified as almost untreatable by transplantation standards,” Griffith said.

He was also deemed ineligible for a traditional heart transplant.

“The only thing about Dave that made him a great candidate was his toughness,” Griffith told participants, adding genetically modified pig hearts had only ever before been transplanted into non-human primates. “We didn’t know if the pig heart would work for two minutes, two days, two months or two years. The testing of this was just done in animals and they have a different immune system.”

Dr. Genevieve Griffiths, Dr. Claire Wright and Dr. Sandra Bourgette-Henry, of Chaminade, moderated the conversation and presented questions gathered in advance from students and members of the faculty.

Wright, an associate professor of Biology, called the forum a great opportunity to learn about the scientific and human aspects of a massive medical innovation. “This was a human who meant so much to his family and friends and now leaves us with this wonderful legacy,” she said.

Griffith, the surgeon, agreed. “We are doing exactly what Dave Bennett, Jr., requested of us, which is to learn something and to spread that learning to those who are interested,” he said. Griffith added there is still much to discover about the transplant itself and about Bennett, Sr.’s, cause of death.

“We are still working with tissues to take a deep dive on what really happened,” Griffith said.

Dr. Kapil Saharia, an assistant professor of Medicine at UMMC’s Institute of Human Virology and Bennett’s infectious disease specialist, said the transplant underscores just how far transplant science has come in the last decade alone. “I think this is setting the stage for really bigger steps,” he said.

Dr. Alison Grazioli, UMMC medical director and the head of the Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit, added Bennett, Sr.’s, transplant was “in many regards a success. We learned so much from Mr. Bennett and will continue to do so. It is everybody’s great hope that xenotransplantation will continue to improve.”

Grazioli spent long days—for months—caring for Bennett, Sr., and said she built strong relationships with him and his family along the way. “The greatest thing we got out of it was getting to know Dave Bennett, Jr., and his family,” she told attendees. “All of those unexpected things and all the hurdles that we had to overcome, it was made so much easier that we developed relationships with such great people.”

In response to a question about what’s next for animal organ transplants, Grazioli said more breakthroughs are around the corner. “There’s talk of clinical trials where we can, in a rigorous way … really get to define who should get these transplants and save the most lives,” she said.

“Mr. Bennett energized the science and I think you’re going to hear a lot more about it.”