Florida National University’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Program Class of 2018 celebrated their White Coat Ceremony on Friday, December 15, 2017. FNU Faculty, Administrators, and Students’ family and friends joined to celebrate this important, special, and meaningful occasion. It was history in the making, being FNU’s First White Coat Ceremony.

FNU’s White Coat Ceremony was a solemn and symbolic event for the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) students, who will be starting their clinical training in January 2018. This is a milestone for this fine group of MSN FNP students, as it marks the completion of their academic science curriculum, and transition to their new role in a clinical healthcare setting.

The Keynote speaker, Ms. Melissa McKinney, ARNP-BC, an experienced Women’s Health Nurse practitioner, addressed the students with a motivational message of perseverance and overcoming challenges.

Dr. Lydie Janvier, FNU’s MSN Program Director, proudly “coated” the FNP students, by helping them put on their white coats, to commemorate and celebrate their achievements.

During this beautiful White Coat Ceremony, the students vowed to maintain professionalism in the workplace, and in relationships with classmates, teachers, patients and the community; furthermore, to provide quality, comprehensive, and compassionate patient care, always keeping the patient’s best interest at heart. The MSN FNP Students jointly recited The Nurses Professional Pledge during this memorable ceremony. Dr. Maria Cristina Regueiro, FNU President/CEO, celebrated with the students and said “I am very proud of the amazing accomplishments of these dedicated FNP students!”

Congratulations and much professional success to FNU’s MSN White Coat recipients!

-Silvia “Bibi” Borges