Good evening President Hotzler, Provost August, faculty, fellow students, family and friends. It is an honor and privilege to stand before you tonight.
So,–WE DID IT!
I remember my first week of nursing school and the syllabus that had been emailed ahead, with 7 chapters due for us to read that week, BEFORE our first class. And then, the night before our first college lab that week, I realized there was ANOTHER SYLABUS for lab with an additional 5 chapters due that morning. I thought this must be a mistake, it couldn’t possibly be right; it’s not humanly possible. And then the next morning,–sure enough, there was a quiz on those 5 chapters. I remember calling my friends who are nurses that week to complain and question them as to why they had not warned me about how hard nursing school is and they just laughed. They said no one would do it if they knew how hard it was. I also remember getting my medical-surgical, nursing textbook in the mail. It was sent in two boxes because it would have been too heavy for one box. I was so terrified by those books that I actually weighed them. I think they weighed 17 pounds. As an exercise for this speech I decided to weigh all our textbooks. They weigh a whopping 54 pounds, though I confess to reading only 45 pounds worth.
The truth is that nurses are smart people; they have to be. Nurses are the ones who will take care of people, who will see the big picture, the whole person behind the diagnosis. Nurses are the first to recognize a change in vital signs or the side effects of a medication. Nurses impact people’s health, and their lives. Nurses are patient and family advocates and teachers. It is an important job; it is meaningful, honorable work.
So, I would like to thank the faculty for choosing to give back to this great profession, by teaching the next generation. You all have inspired me with your knowledge and wisdom, with your dedication and passion. You made me want to be a better student, to work harder, to become more educated. Thank you for going the extra mile to help us, for the tutorials and the test reviews, and answering our emails on the weekends. For showing us, by example, what dedication looks like. I am honored to walk in your path.
I would also like to acknowledge my fellow classmates and friends, all of whom have worked tirelessly to get through this difficult program. Nursing school is not for the faint of heart or for those not dedicated. I especially admire those of you who got through these last years while raising children and those of you for whom English is not your first language. My hat is off to you all. Though this is not the end for us, we still have to pass the boards and many of us will continue our education this spring semester, today with this traditional ceremony, we celebrate the culmination of years of hard work.
Finally, to our families and friends, who supported us over these last few years emotionally and financially and in many other ways, we thank you!!! I hope you can all breathe a collective sigh of relief tonight knowing that this very stressful period of our lives is over and that all our hard work and missed dinners and holidays, has paid off. We are better and smarter today than we were when we started this journey.
I wish us all–long, safe, and happy careers. And once again—WE DID IT!!!