University holds Oath-Taking Ceremony for 30 Nursing Students
MBABANE – The University of Eswatini through the Faculty of Health Sciences successfully held the Oath-taking Ceremony on Friday 01 December 2023 at the Mbabane Campus. It is at this Ceremony that students take Florence Nightingale Pledge. The Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic), Professor T.H. Gadaga performed the official opening. In his welcome address the PVC noted that empathy and commitment are key to quality nursing. “The good work that you will do and the good reports that we will get from the patients in your care and other clients, will speak well about the University of Eswatini.”
The Guest Speaker was Ms Thembi Phetsile Dlamini – Acting Chief Nursing Officer who spoke under the theme “Quality Nursing Care for Emerging Health Challenges”. Ms Dlamini noted that a number of global health challenges that include Climate change, natural disasters and wars were among the emerging nursing challenges for which nurses were supposed to provide quality nursing for. She mentioned that nurses still form the backbone of the health delivery system and are always frontline workers. She mentioned that a nurse should restore and promote health in the five dimensions of wellness. The Acting Chief Nursing Office requested the nurses to be caring and kind-hearted as this contributes to overall healing. She further asked the nurses to be empathetic, respectful and be responsible. She asked the nurses to the zeal for excellency from the beginning of their careers. She implored tem to participate in national and regional conferences and research studies to improve their practice. Ms Dlamini also thanked parents and guardians and teaching staff for the different roles they played in the lives of the students.
Speaking at the same Ceremony before the students took the oath was the Head of General Nursing, who requested the nurses to “please serve God’s image with fear and trembling.” She then quoted a Bible verse, Psalms 37 verse 23.