Ashleigh Alexis, a first-year nursing student at St. George’s University’s Nursing Program could not contain her excitement as she sat with her fellow classmates at the recent School of Arts and Sciences Nursing Induction Ceremony.
“I feel elated to start my nursing journey,” shared Ashleigh, who is on her way to becoming the first nurse in her family. “Like everyone else, I believe that nursing is a calling. I feel called to serve and I have a passion for caring for others. What I’m looking forward to most when I become a nurse is the day-to-day of taking care of my patients. I know it will be challenging but it’s definitely worth it.”
View Nursing Induction Ceremony Instagram reel
Receiving the Golden Pin
Ashleigh joined 71 other aspiring nurses who took the stage on January 31 at Patrick F. Adams Hall to mark their entry into the field of nursing. Every January, SGU welcomes its January and August class of nursing students at the SAS Nursing Induction Ceremony.
During the ceremony, each student was presented with The Arnold P. Gold Foundation’s golden Mobius loop pin. It serves as a visual reminder to students that in order to deliver the best care to their patients, compassion and empathy must be the hallmark of their clinical practice.
Along with being presented with the pins, the future nurses recited the International Council of Nurses pledge during the ceremony.
“Today is a special day for our nursing inductees and their families,” said Nurse Jemma Cornwall, chair and director of the Nursing and Allied Health Sciences Department at SGU. “We are all here with pride and delight as they begin their journey to acquire knowledge and set their goals and aspirations toward their nursing career. Today we wish them all the best on this very auspicious journey.”
A family tradition
Coming from a family full of nurses, it came as no surprise when first-year nursing student Blossom Antoine also wanted to join the profession. After receiving her pin along with the rest of the Class of 2029, Blossom is excited to begin her journey as part of the SGU family.
“I’m so happy to get my pin today and I’m eager to explore all that SGU has to offer,” said Blossom. “The University is very student centric, and I love getting the support that I need. With so many student organizations to choose from, I was able to join the Nursing Students Association and the Muslim Students Association. My goal is to enter the field of pediatrics and to one day become a physician. I know that SGU is just the place for me to achieve that goal.”
View Nursing Induction Ceremony Facebook album
A new beginning
For first-year nursing student Josh Bethel, growing up with a mother who worked in healthcare had a huge impact on his choice to become a nurse. Having spent most of his life in Alberta, Canada, Josh recently moved back to his homeland Grenada to earn his nursing degree at SGU.
“Choosing to return to Grenada and attend SGU has been one of the best decisions I could have made,” said Josh. “Attending my Nursing Induction Ceremony and receiving my pin felt like stepping into a new beginning.”
As the only male nursing student in his cohort, Josh admitted he gets asked all the time why he decided to join the female-dominated field. His response: “I don’t think of nursing as a female profession, but rather a compassionate one. Putting others before yourself and showing love and kindness makes this one of the most noble professions out there.”
