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Nursing

Nursing Students Honored in Pinning Ceremony

December 9, 2024

In a “heartfelt tradition,” 21 Nursing students at Chaminade gathered with loved ones Dec. 7 for a Pinning Ceremony, which marks the ceremonial completion of their bachelor’s degree journeys and the start of their professional careers.

During the gathering, students received their nursing stoles and pins.

They also recited the International Council for Nurses Pledge, promising to:

“Care for the sick with all the skills and understanding I possess, without regard to race, creed, color, politics or social status, sparing no effort to conserve life, to alleviate suffering, and to promote health.”

Hermaine Beltran ’24 was among the students honored.

“I’m feeling very happy, very exhilarated, very grateful for this moment,” said Beltran, who will be a nurse in the mother-baby unit at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children. “We worked very hard to be here.”

Chaminade President Lynn Babington, Ph.D., a nurse herself, said the students are launching their careers amid a significant need for nurses in Hawai’i and nationally.

“We are proud that our students are answering the call,” Babington said.

She added, “The pinning ceremony is a heartfelt tradition that symbolizes students’ hard work and dedication throughout their coursework and clinical training.”


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Chaminade School of Nursing and Health Professions Interim Dean Lorin Ramocki explained that the roots of the Nursing Pinning Ceremony tradition date back to the 1860s when Florence Nightingale, known as the founder of modern nursing, was awarded the Red Cross of St. George.

Pinning ceremonies grew to mark the start of a nurse’s career.

Posted by: University Communications & Marketing Filed Under: Campus and Community, Featured Story, Homepage, Nursing & Health Professions Tagged With: Campus Event, Nursing

Tree Planting Honors School of Nursing

November 22, 2024

Kukui trees are traditionally a symbol of knowledge and enlightenment

There’s a new addition to the indigenous flora on Chaminade’s verdant campus.

In a special ceremony Nov. 22, University President Lynn Babington, Ph.D. joined School of Nursing and Health Professions students, faculty and staff along with others across the University to plant a kukui tree and dedicate a special plaque.

The inscription on the plaque begins with a Hawaiian proverb: “Ka malu hālau loa o ke kukui.”

The saying, which means “the long shelter of the kukui tree,” refers to the way in which a healthy grove of kukui trees can provide adequate shelter—much like a house. Kukui or candlenut trees are also a traditional symbol of knowledge because the nuts were once used to burn for light.


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The plaque’s inscription continues: “This kukui tree is planted in dedication to the faculty, staff and students within the School of Nursing and Health Professions.”

Chaminade Provost Lance Askildson said in planting the kukui tree, “we are honoring the strong foundations of Chaminade’s School of Nursing and Health Professions while recognizing our shared responsibility to ensure its continued success and growth in the years to come.”

“At Chaminade, we are incredibly proud to be preparing nursing and public health leaders who are inspired to serve their communities and help build a healthier Hawai’i.“

PHOTO GALLERY:

Posted by: University Communications & Marketing Filed Under: Featured Story, Homepage, Nursing & Health Professions Tagged With: Nursing

Blessing Hands That Heal

October 18, 2024

The annual ceremony is a reminder of the power of compassionate care

Students pursuing careers in nursing and other healthcare professions gathered October 18 for a beloved tradition at Chaminade: the St. Luke’s Blessing of the Hands ceremony. The observance honors those pursuing lives of service and serves as a poignant reminder of the power of compassionate care.

Rooted in the Christian tradition, the ceremony is observed every year on the Feast Day of St. Luke.

“Luke was an evangelist and a physician,” said Fr. Chris Wittmann, who presided over the blessing ceremony. “If you’re looking for God’s compassion, the Gospel of Luke is a good place to start.

He added, “So it is apt to celebrate this today.”

The blessing of the hands is a time-honored tradition that seeks to acknowledge the emotional and spiritual dimensions of patient care, and honor the commitment and resilience of healthcare workers.

St. Luke's Blessing_cn1_500x333
Sr. Malia Wong, Fr. Chris Wittman and Br. Edward Brink anointed the hands of nursing students and other healthcare providers during the annual St. Luke’s Blessing of the Hands.
Nursing students and other healthcare providers had their hands anointed during the annual St. Luke's Blessing of the Hands.
Nursing students and other healthcare providers had their hands anointed during the annual St. Luke’s Blessing of the Hands.
Nursing students and other healthcare providers had their hands anointed during the annual St. Luke's Blessing of the Hands.
Nursing students and other healthcare providers had their hands anointed during the annual St. Luke’s Blessing of the Hands.
Isaiah Atalig ’25 recounted a medical mission to Costa Rica this past summer and the impact the trip had on him.
Isaiah Atalig ’25 recounted a medical mission to Costa Rica this past summer and the impact the trip had on him.
Nursing students and other healthcare providers attended the annual St. Luke's Blessing of the Hands on October 18.
Nursing students and other healthcare providers attended the annual St. Luke’s Blessing of the Hands on October 18.
Nursing major Tia Kaʻiulani Tabisola ’25 has her hands anointed by Fr. Chris Wittmann during the St. Luke's Blessing of the Hands on October 16.
Nursing major Tia Kaʻiulani Tabisola ’25 has her hands anointed by Fr. Chris Wittmann during the St. Luke’s Blessing of the Hands on October 16.

“Bless those who are involved with taking care of others,” said Bro. Edward Brink, vice president for Mission and Rector. He added that as Chaminade is the only Catholic university in the islands and serves the entire Pacific region, “it’s important that we continue this tradition.”

At its core, organizers said, the blessing of the hands ceremony serves as a reminder that the hands that administer care are not only instruments of healing but also vessels of compassion and empathy.

Nursing student Tia Kaʻiulani Tabisola ’25, a certified nurse’s aide, was among those who attended the ceremony. She said the gathering reminded her why she wants to pursue a career helping others.

Tabisola recounted the story of a difficult patient who she struggled to assist.


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After spending some time with him, he finally spoke and asked her if they could pray for him and his mom. They both ended up crying. “This is why I want to become a nurse,” Tabisola said. “I want to break down barriers and eliminate stigmas against the vulnerable.”

Isaiah Atalig ’25 is majoring in Forensic Sciences at Chaminade and aspires to be a doctor.

He said he takes the notion of healing to heart.

“Caring for people is my calling,” said Atalig, who is from Guam.

Atalig said in Chamorro culture, just like in healthcare professions, putting others ahead of yourself is paramount. “You care for neighbors, strangers, family, and the sick and vulnerable,” he said.

Posted by: University Communications & Marketing Filed Under: Catholic, Featured Story, Homepage, Nursing & Health Professions Tagged With: Campus Ministry, Nursing

Nursing Students Offer Preventive Care

October 8, 2024

The Parish Health Program allows students to apply what they’ve learned

Every Sunday, a group of Chaminade nursing students gather at a Honolulu church to educate parishioners on the importance of health and nutrition. Established two years ago, the University’s Parish Health Program has provided access to healthcare screenings to thousands of churchgoers.

And earlier this month, the program expanded to a third parish: St. Anthony Kalihi.

At St. John the Baptist Church, which also participates in the program, Father Jaroslaw Z. Skrzypek said offering the one-on-one preventive health outreach has proven a support system to parishioners.

“It fosters a sense of community and shared values around health and well-being” said Skrzypek.

Likening the parish program outreach to clinical rotations—but at a church instead of a hospital—Associate Professor and Parish Health Coordinator Sandy Bourgette-Henry said students benefit from the real-world, hands-on experience and making connections with community members.


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“The best way to reach the community is to go where they gather,” Bourgette-Henry said.

“In this case, we go to the various parishes.”

Katrina “Nina” Jackson ’25 said giving her time, care and attention to parishioners has allowed her to sharpen her skills and also has proven personally rewarding. “This gives us an opportunity to get out into the community and see what residents’ needs are,” she said. “I think this program is important because it allows us to educate people about such health topics as nutrition, CPR and physical activity.”

A grant from the Marianist Sponsorship Ministries Foundation grant helped launch the innovative program in 2022, funding health promotional items like pedometers, blood pressure monitors, cuffs and gift cards for local farmers markets as incentives to maintain healthy habits.

Kaiser Permanente, through the Catholic Care Coalition, has also contributed to the program’s success.

Students enrolled in NUR 401 are charged with offering services through the Parish Health Program. Along the way, they also learn about public health theory, health promotion, and relationship-building.

In addition to aligning with Chaminade’s service-focused mission, the program also supports the University’s efforts to promote UN Sustainable Development Goals, including a focus on wellbeing.

When the Parish Health Program is at St. John the Baptist Church on Sundays, students screen about 600 parishioners across three Masses.

NUR 401 Public Health students visit St. John the Baptist Church in Kalihi as part of Chaminade's Parish Health Program. Pictured are, from left, standing, Victoria Ayala, Nina Jackson, James Kightlinger, Kaulana Navares and Jasmin Clayton.
NUR 401 Public Health students visit St. John the Baptist Church in Kalihi as part of Chaminade’s Parish Health Program. Pictured are, from left, standing, Victoria Ayala, Nina Jackson, James Kightlinger, Kaulana Navares and Jasmin Clayton.

They take blood pressure readings, offer nutritional recommendations, and discuss diabetes management and cardiac care.

Last semester, they even screened for food insecurity among parishioners at Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus in Kalihi. Bourgette-Henry said students distributed 150 food vouchers on one particular Sunday.

“We were trying to determine if food insecurity is correlated with high blood pressure,” Bourgette-Henry said. “I know that the American Heart Association wants to do this again in the future, and so do we.”

A former cardiac nurse with 30 years of experience, Bourgette-Henry noted that heart disease is the leading cause of death in Hawaii. She said the old model of healthcare waits for patients to present with symptoms. The new one, aligned with the Parish Health Program, “focuses on prevention.”

“The students are really eager to teach parishioners how to take care of themselves,” Bourgette-Henry added. “All participating students find this program fulfilling and beneficial to their future as nurses.”

Posted by: University Communications & Marketing Filed Under: Featured Story, Homepage, Nursing & Health Professions, Service Learning Tagged With: Doctor of Nursing Practice, Nursing

Pinning Ceremony

May 8, 2024

Seventy-one newly graduated nurses receive ceremonial Nursing Pin

For the past four years, Brittany Johnson quipped that “all I’ve ever known are the overly caffeinated nursing majors.” As the undergraduate student speaker during Chaminade’s 66th Commencement Ceremony, the newly minted nurse took the opportunity to share the life lessons that she has learned during her years at Henry Hall. Earlier in the day, she and 70 of her fellow Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree candidates experienced another milestone: they received their symbolic pins during the Pinning Ceremony at Sacred Hearts Academy.

Seventy-one nursing students received their ceremonal Nursing Pins during the annual Pinning Ceremony that occurs the morning of commencement.
Seventy-one nursing students received their ceremonal Nursing Pins during the annual Pinning Ceremony that occurs the morning of commencement.

“Your position in life will change, so put your head down and work with pride in whatever position you may find yourself in in this life,” Johnson advised to her fellow graduates. “You never know where you might end up.”

The Pinning Ceremony represents a significant rite of passage for nursing students, marking their transition from nursing school to the professional world. It is a meaningful tradition with a rich history, symbolizing the nurses’ dedication to their field, their commitment to patient care and their readiness to join the nursing profession.

“A pinning ceremony is a time to welcome newly graduating nurses to the profession,” said Pamela Smith, Interim Co-Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions. “We gather for this occasion to mark the transition from student nurse to graduate nurse, and to celebrate the start of a professional practice in nursing.”

The tradition of pinning dates back to the 12th century, when the Crusaders received a badge to distinguish them for their service in caring for the sick and injured. Later in the 1860s, Florence Nightingale devoted herself to caring for casualties of the Crimean War. In recognition of her service, she was awarded The Red Cross of St. George.

Nightingale then extended the honor by presenting medals of excellence to the most deserving student graduates at The Nightingale School of Nursing in London. Today, nursing schools around the world give a Nursing Pin to represent a medal of excellence to their student nurses upon graduation. Each school of nursing pin has its own distinct design, which represents the symbols, colors and phrases that illustrate the mission and philosophy of the school.

“In addition to congratulating each member of our Class of 2024 nursing students, I would like to personally thank you all for your pledge to serve in this noblest of professions,” said Dr. Lynn Babington, Chaminade president, who is also a former nurse and healthcare administrator. “Nursing is a noble profession, requiring dedication of mind, body and heart. Nurses make a difference every day, touching lives and changing outcomes for the better.”

Posted by: University Communications & Marketing Filed Under: Diversity and Inclusion, Featured Story, Nursing & Health Professions Tagged With: Nursing

Nurturing Nurses

April 2, 2024

Answering the call for Hawaii’s need for more healthcare providers

Some graduates work at The Queen’s Medical Center while others are employed by Hawaii Pacific Health and Kaiser Permanente. A few work in telemedicine with Pali Momi and Straub Medical Center. Since the Hawai‘i State Board of Nursing officially gave Chaminade University the green light to launch a nursing program in Fall 2010, the School of Nursing and Health Professions (SNHP) has graduated more than 600 nurses who have contributed to our community’s healthcare needs in various settings, including hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics and other environments.

“Our nursing program has a highly distinctive approach to nursing,” says Chaminade Provost and Senior Vice President Lance Askildson. “Our graduates are well rounded and play an essential role in their communities to advocate for health promotion.”

Nursing stands as the cornerstone of the healthcare workforce, yet the demand for nurses is poised to escalate in the coming decade. Shifting population dynamics, advancements in technology and evolving healthcare models are set to catalyze an expansion in nursing roles, necessitating a highly educated nursing workforce. Compounded by the aging of the current nursing workforce and the impending wave of retirements, the United States is on track to face a significant nursing shortage by 2025, with Hawai‘i projected to experience a deficit of 3,311 professional nurses, according to an article published in Hawai‘i’s Journal of Medicine & Public Health.

This year's White Coat Ceremony included 119 nursing students who are now officially in their clinical stages of their education.
This year’s White Coat Ceremony included 119 nursing students who are now officially in their clinical stages of their education.

In their research titled, Hawaii’s Nursing Workforce: Keeping Pace with Healthcare, the co-authors Sandra A LeVasseur, Ph.D., RN and Kristine Qureshi, Ph.D., RN, FAAN conclude that as healthcare needs change, academic, healthcare and community partners must be prepared to respond by developing innovative educational delivery models, new specialty programs and diverse clinical placement opportunities to ensure a pipeline of competent nurses across the state.  

“The school just went through an external review” Askildson says. “The purpose of the review was to examine the current curriculum, capacities and profile of the School in order to identify opportunities for strategic investment and change that will strengthen academic excellence and student success in keeping with our University mission and ethos, and the enduring values of our School of Nursing and Health Professions.”

In compiling their report on the SONHP, external reviewers Meredith Kazer, Ph.D., APRN, FAAN, (Team Lead), Beth P. Beckman, DNS, RN, FNP, NEA- BC, FAAN, Carrie M. Oliveira, Ph.D. and Marcia B. Proto, M.Ed, CAS met with faculty, staff, students and administrators, engaging stakeholders indiscussions that explored curricular issues, faculty and staff workload, the University’s commitment to ensuring a developmental approach to nursing and public health education, and exploring opportunities to further integrate SNHP programs in the service of Hawaii and its multicultural peoples.

Furthermore, the reviewers note that the supportive culture that has been created and maintained throughout SNHP and the University is a tremendous strength of the School, and provides a strong foundation upon which to build. Throughout all their meetings, reviewers wrote they found a “strong sense of teamwork and collaboration, and there is a strong mission-focus throughout Chaminade and the SNHP team that embodies the mission in their work.”

Presently, Hawai‘i boasts nine nursing programs dispersed across public and private universities and colleges. These programs have united in their efforts to align with the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations for the future of nursing. Through strategic partnerships and collaboration, the nursing landscape in Hawai‘i is undergoing a transformation. Practice boundaries are expanding, diverse pathways to advanced nursing education are being established, and nurses are forging alliances with other stakeholders to revolutionize healthcare delivery.

To guide strategic planning efforts, the Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing diligently collects and analyzes data on the nursing workforce. This ongoing assessment allows for informed decision-making tailored to the unique needs of the state’s population and healthcare landscape. Identified gaps in nursing specialty education, particularly in areas such as school health and mental health, are being addressed through targeted initiatives aimed at bolstering education and training opportunities in these critical areas.

“We want to continue to invest in our nursing program, which is one of the recommendations of the external reviewers,” Askildson says. “We want to continue to produce nurses without being transactional. Our nursing graduates are prized because they care deeply about their patients since they have a holistic approach to healthcare.”

Posted by: University Communications & Marketing Filed Under: Alumni, Diversity and Inclusion, Homepage, Institutional, Nursing & Health Professions Tagged With: Alumni, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctorate of Nursing Practice, Nursing

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