Fifty U.S. Schools of Nursing Awarded Funding to Host White Coat Ceremonies that Champion Compassionate Care

WASHINGTON, DC, August 14, 2017 — Today, The Arnold P. Gold Foundation (APGF) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) announced that 50 schools of nursing across the nation were selected to receive funding to host White Coat Ceremonies, which underscore the importance of humanistic patient care. Launched in 2013, a groundbreaking collaboration between APGF and AACN has enabled 260 schools of nursing in 48 states to offer ceremonies designed to instill a commitment to providing compassionate care
among the next generation of registered nurses. 
 
"Today's patients expect their healthcare providers to show compassion and engage them directly in decision-making related to their own care," said Dr. Richard Levin, President and CEO of The Arnold P. Gold Foundation. "We are delighted to continue our collaboration with AACN this year and expand the important work underway to reach nursing students early in their programs with a message that compassion matters."
 
Though White Coat Ceremonies have been conducted by medical schools for more than 20 years, the APGF-AACN initiative marks the first time a coordinated effort has been developed to offer similar events at nursing schools. In nursing, a White Coat Ceremony typically consists of the recitation of an oath, an address by an eminent role model, and a reception for students and invited guests. Students also are given a specially designed pin that serves as a visual reminder of their oath and commitment to providing high quality care. View a listing of schools selected to receive funding for their White Coat Ceremonies this year.
 
"As the healthcare provider who spends the most time with patients, nurses must embrace the need to provide compassionate care as an essential element of their professional practice," said Dr. Juliann Sebastian, Chair of the AACN Board of Directors. "With health care becoming more patient-centered and team-driven, nurses, physicians, and other providers must embed humanism in their practice as a catalyst for realizing the best possible care outcomes."