By Art Santiago and Lana Laurel

Far Eastern University (FEU) Institute of Health Sciences and Nursing (IHSN) recognized 840 Bachelor of Science in Nursing students as official student-nurses during the 71st Capping and Candle Lighting Ceremony at the FEU Main Auditorium last Saturday, September 20. 

The event highlighted compassion and drive as essential qualities needed during their time as practicing nurses, with its theme, ‘Driven by Compassion, Lit with Purpose.’ 

IHSN Dean of Nursing Moira Uy welcomed Batch 2028 sections 201 to 211, noting the ceremony as the start of their lifelong journey as nurses.

She stressed that student-nurses must work silently and selflessly to be true medical practitioners, following the core values that Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, imparted.

Meanwhile, Ateneo Policy Center Lead Consultant of Program Assessment and Review Rodley Desmond Daniel Carza encouraged the students to instill hope in their patients, once again drawing inspiration from the practice of Nightingale.

“In trying moments, you are not just a student-nurse; you become the light of someone’s darkest hours. And in a world where so much darkness surrounds us, I ask you to be like Florence Nightingale; be the one who brings the light,” he said. 

Carza emphasized that the ceremony is “more than just a tradition; it is a rite of passage,” where the student-nurses’ journey transitions from the classroom to the clinic.

He then reminded the student-nurses of the lifelong calling they have accepted and the values they must live by as they enter into the nursing profession.

“As you wear your caps and light your candles today, don’t just wear them with pride, but also with humility and responsibility. They are not just symbols of what you have achieved, but reminders of the lifelong calling you have accepted. A calling to care, to heal, to serve, and to lead,” he remarked.

Milestone reached

In an interview with FEU Advocate, newly proclaimed student-nurse Cien Ellyza Rollan shared the importance of the ceremony to them as Nursing students. 

“[The importance of this ceremony is] parang nanunumpa na po kayo sa duty niyo as a student-nurse and sa future responsibility niyo as a nurse po (The importance of this ceremony is we’re like swearing already to our duty as a student-nurse and our future responsibility as a nurse),” Rollan explained.

Additionally, Rollan detailed the sacrifices she made in her first year, where she often declined invitations from family and friends just to review and hone her skills in nursing.

Moreover, student-nurse Bernadette Daantos expressed her fulfillment in reaching this milestone after completing her first year of the program.

“For me, sobrang nakaka-fulfill po talaga ‘yung capping ceremony kasi… lahat ng hirap… lahat ng sleepless nights at lahat ng kape na ininom namin (the capping ceremony is super fulfilling because of all the hardships, all of the sleepless nights, and all of the coffee we drank). Sobrang worth it kasi parang nag-start na kami as student-nurse (It’s super worth it because it’s like we’re starting as student-nurse),” Daantos mentioned. 

Despite the challenges both students faced during their first year as Nursing students, they recognized that all of the hardships they experienced in their academics taught them how to be good future medical practitioners.

Proud parents

Furthermore, Elvie Salazar, mother of student-nurse Baron Salazar, shared her satisfaction with the entirety of the ceremony but suggested a few ways to improve future events. 

“Sana lang, request lang namin is parents [ang i-allow], hindi lang parent. Si Mother ‘tsaka si Father, or ‘yung iba, tiyahin or lola ‘yung nagpapaaral. Kasi ‘yung pakiramdam nung magulang na makita ‘yung anak nila na umaakyat ng stage… achievement na ‘yun, eh (I wish that they would allow parents instead of just one parent, the Mother and the Father, or for others, the aunts or grandmothers, that support the students. Because the feeling when you see your child on stage is already an achievement for us),” she stated in an interview with the publication.

In a Facebook post by the FEU Nursing Society (NurSoc), they indicated the guidelines for the event which specified that only one companion would be given a wristband as access to the ceremony.

Additionally, Melissa Mae Alvero, mother of student-nurse Markeithlyn Mae Salazar, stated that the turnout of the event is satisfactory but could still use some improvements when it comes to the seating arrangement of the parents.

Both parents also emphasized the importance of supporting their children in whatever they want to pursue and serving as a guiding presence throughout their college journey.

“Ang sa’kin lang naman is for [them] to realize how lucky [they are] to be in this world and to be able to serve. I instilled sa lahat ng mga anak ko na (in my children that) we may not have enough, we may struggle financially, but there are still things we can do for others, and I hope na mag-instill sa kanila ‘yun lahat (that all of those will be instilled in them),” Alvero noted.

Mishaps during the event

Despite the positive feedback from the parents, the ceremony encountered a few technical issues and a mishap with the candles for the student-nurses.

The issues were mainly with the sound system, which were instantly addressed by the organizers. Additionally, there was a last-minute change in the closing remarks speaker for both the morning and afternoon sessions.

Meanwhile, Davonn Asuncion, a fourth-year student and Executive Consultant of NurSoc, clarified that there was a return of the candles that were supposed to be a token for the student-nurses to be brought home after the ceremony.

“Last minute po kasi, nagka-quality control po kami ng (we were doing quality control with) candles. Nagbigay na po kami ng concerns namin sa (We raised our concerns to) Tams Bookstore, which is the official supplier of the ceremonial paraphernalia like the cap [and] the candles. Napansin namin ‘yung (We noticed that) embossed sa candles [na] instead of ‘Institute of Health Sciences and Nursing,’ ang naka-emboss po ay ‘Institute of Science’,” he explained.

The Executive Consultant of NurSoc then added that the Tams Bookstore will be able to replace the incorrectly embossed candles by the following week.

In the meantime, student-nurses are advised to wait for official announcements on claiming their embossed candles. 

As the pioneering batch under the new Nursing curriculum—where the University introduced a more compartmentalized approach to the professional nursing components—the newly proclaimed student-nurses will begin their clinical journey this semester.

(Thea Danielle Morin/FEU Advocate)