Wichita State University School of Nursing is one of two schools in Kansas and one of 100 schools of nursing nationally, to have been selected by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation (APGF) and American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) to receive funding support to pilot White Coat Ceremonies, which are designed to instill a commitment to providing compassionate care among future health professionals.

Funded by APGF Trustee Elaine Adler and her husband Mike, co-founders of the Adler Aphasia Center, this ground-breaking program was developed to promote humanistic, patient-centered care among incoming nursing students this fall.

Wichita State received $3,000 in funding, and there also will be in-kind support for the event.

“Our School of Nursing is committed to educating the next generation of nurses that rise to the high expectations of patients,” said Brandy Jackson, director of the Undergraduate Nursing Program at Wichita State. “The White Coat Ceremony allows our students an important rite of passage as they enter into the noble and highly valued profession of nursing. The proud feeling a nursing student has the first time they don the white coat will now be elevated to publicly recognize those individuals who will dedicate their lives to serving others.”

Though White Coat Ceremonies have been an important rite of passage at medical schools for more than 20 years, this new collaboration between APGF and AACN marks the first time a coordinated effort has been developed to offer similar events at schools of nursing.

In this pilot year, nursing schools in 43 states plus the District of Columbia were provided financial support and guidance to offer a White Coat Ceremony, which will consist of the recitation of an oath, cloaking of students in a white coat, an address by an eminent role model and a reception for students and invited guests. Students also will receive a specially designed pin that will serve as a visual reminder of their oath and commitment to providing high quality care.

For a listing of schools selected to participate in this year, see www.aacn.nche.edu/wcc.

Following the pilot program, the Arnold P. Gold Foundation and AACN are planning 2015 to be the inaugural year for the nationwide rollout of the White Coat Ceremony to a larger number of nursing institutions.

For more information about this program, contact AACN program manager Shelley Porte at sporte@aacn.nche.edu.