THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES

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1 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES OFFICE OF THE CAMPUS PRINCIPAL Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Clement Sankat, BSc (UWI), MSc (UWI), PhD (Guelph), FIAgrE, CEng, FAPETT Remarks by the Campus Principal School of Advanced Nursing Education 7 th Annual Pinning Ceremony Inspiring, Promoting and Delivering Quality Nursing Care Amphitheatre A, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex Tuesday 12 th November, pm Salutations Thank you Master of Ceremonies, Dr. E. Monica Davis Dean, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Professor Samuel Ramsewak Acting Director, School of Advanced Nursing Education, Dr. Philip Onuoha Acting Chief Nursing Officer, Mr. Arnim Hargreaves Representatives from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tertiary Education and Skills Training Other Faculty and Staff from the School of Advanced Nursing Education Specially Invited Guests Graduates ***** 1

2 Good evening! I am truly delighted to be a part of this, the 7 th Annual Pinning Ceremony of the School of Advanced Nursing Education! Ceremonies such as these are very important to The UWI St. Augustine Campus as they recognize our commitment to academic excellence and celebrate the achievement of our outstanding graduates. Let me therefore begin by extending warmest congratulations to you, the graduates of the Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing well done! Today belongs to you. You have all worked diligently to reach this stage! Your dedication, commitment and hard work have seen you through! I am certain that you have had challenges along the way, but today is testament to your ability to rise above such challenges. And it is through that same persistence resolve and tenacity that you will continue to succeed in both your personal and professional life. This is not going to be a long speech, but I would like to make a few quick points. 2

3 First, let me say how pleased I am with the theme of this year s pinning ceremony, Inspiring, Promoting and Delivering Quality Nursing Care. It describes quite aptly what the School of Advanced Nursing Education was created to do when it was established in I therefore would like to encourage all of you, our graduates to make good on this theme. Having been well equipped with the requisite skills, knowledge and training in nursing; you must all seek to promote and deliver quality nursing care to the citizens of our country and region. Our university is founded on the premise of service to the people in our communities and societies this is what we are all about as a collective of students, administrators and academics. As Campus Principal, I continue to emphasize that one of our most important roles is to produce distinctive graduates - creative and critical thinkers, competent leaders, innovative problem solvers, team players and effective communicators professionals who when they go out into the world of work are not only technically competent, but also leaders guided by compassion and integrity. We look to you, our graduates our nurses, to demonstrate by your actions, the essence of The UWI brand to be exemplary health care professionals and to continue to raise the bar, not only for yourselves but for those with whom you interact and those whom you serve. This is your contribution to your country and your region. 3

4 Second, let me say, that in honouring the achievement of our nursing graduates, we are also paying tribute to the faculty and staff of the School of Advanced Nursing Education who work persistently and sometimes in very challenging conditions, to help to mentor and nurture our students and graduates. Dean Ramsewak, Acting Director Onuoha, and all of the staff of the School of Advanced Nursing Education, I commend you for your dedication and commitment to our students! Let us continue to produce health care professionals that will go out and make a difference, and build a health care system that we can all be proud of; one that serves the needs of the people of our country and region. Let me also take this time to thank the personal support networks of our graduates - your family and friends who have supported you throughout your journey. I know that increasingly, our students in these types of programmes are mature students who are not only working hard to meet and surpass the high standards of their courses, but also balancing family and work responsibilities. For this I want to salute all well-wishers and loved ones gathered here this evening for the guidance and support that they have given to our students throughout their time of study. 4

5 My dear graduates, in closing, I would like once again to congratulate you on your achievement here today. Remember that your chosen profession (nursing) is one that is a noble discipline as thousands of persons are counting on you to provide quality health care. Always remember to be patient, understanding and compassionate. Investing your time, energy and effort in enhancing the quality of health care provided to others is an investment in human upliftment and building a more caring society. See your role as a nurse not as a burden; but rather, as a duty, a privilege, and an opportunity to serve. Reflect upon the words of David McCullough who said,.the great and curious truth of the human experience is that selflessness is the best thing you can do for yourself. My dear graduates, I thank you, and I extend best wishes to you for a fulfilling career in nursing. Do have an enjoyable evening! 5