Nearly 30 students from the Mount Saint Mary College Nurse Practitioner program were honored at a White Coat Ceremony on Friday, May 13.

The graduates’ white coats were presented to them by their chosen family members, from spouses and children to parents and grandparents.

The ceremony reflected the transition of the nurses to the professional nurse practitioner role. Nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses who provide high quality healthcare services. They can diagnose, treat, and prescribe across a wide range of health problems.

Christine Berté, dean of the college’s School of Nursing, noted that Mount Nurse Practitioner graduates began their journey as registered nurses in a variety of settings and can now enter primary care practices, including family health and internal medicine. They may also practice in acute care settings, such as hospital positions and urgent care/fast track health access points.

According to Berté, coupled with the compassion and experience in nursing that they already possess, advanced practice nurses “have become one of the most valued groups of healthcare providers in today’s society, and are continually making a significant impact on the nursing profession.”

Three students were recognized for excellence in their studies and skills: Usha Conde of Fishkill, and May Tong of New York City received the Sigma Award, and Andreia Tremper of New Windsor, was presented with the Sr. Leona DeBoer Graduate Nursing Award.

Fr. Gregoire Fluet, chaplain and director of Campus Ministry at the Mount, closed out the ceremony with the Blessing of the Hands. As nurse practitioners, he noted, the graduates’ hands are their most important healing tool.

Mount Saint Mary College will celebrate its 59th annual Commencement on Saturday, May 21, graduating more than 500 seniors.