MANDEVILLE, Manchester — All eyes were glued to the main entrance of the gymnatorium at Northern Caribbean University (NCU) in Mandeville, for the entry of 88 student nurses during the recent capping and dedicatory ceremony.

The blue-clad group marched through the door as soldiers to war, yet somehow still maintained the beauty and kindness of a nurse in each step. The annual ceremony commemorates the work of the legendary Florence Nightingale, who cared for wounded soldiers during the Crimean War.

“The awarding of the cap to a student nurse in a formal ceremony after she completes the probationary period at school is one of the oldest symbols of the profession,” explained Dr Heather Fletcher, head of the Hyacinth Chen School of Nursing. She pointed out that at NCU, the capping and dedicatory ceremony is for male and female nursing students, who have completed the preliminary aspect of schoolwork prior to beginning their hospital experience. There was one male nurse among the group.

Uchenna Obi, senior staff nurse at the University Hospital of the West Indies, delivered the keynote address to the student nurses. He highlighted the importance of nursing as an art and a science and noted that it was an occupation that requires heart, soul and mind.

Speaking on the theme, “In relentless pursuit of excellence”, Obi challenged the student nurses to reflect on the question: “How do you want to be remembered?” Some faces lit up with smiles, while others seemed taken aback and pondering.

Obi suggested that this question is answered by the daily choices one makes. “This morning I woke up and chose to be strong and push on,” he said, adding that the pursuit of excellence is nothing but a state of mind that is used to develop the habits necessary to achieve set goals.

The donning of the caps was a cheerful moment as students celebrated the achievements of their peers.

Patrick Royal, the sole male candidate, was highly esteemed by his peers, but he was not gifted with a symbolic cap. Instead, he received a certificate.

With Florence Nightingale playing such a big role in the history of nursing, the lighting of the lamp was an essential part of the NCU capping ceremony. Nightingale was known to walk around with a lamp every night as she checked wounded soldiers in her care, crowning her as the Lady with the Lamp.