GRADUATION

After 27 months and countless tests, clinical hours, assignments, books, history and physicals, and memories, I graduated from BYU's Family Nurse Practitioner program.

Thank you to Bartus for supporting me and helping me through out the entire process. Thanks to my parents, grandparents and little sister Cambria for coming down to the convocation ceremony.

I was asked to speak at graduation-which was an honor and slightly nerve racking. Lucky the talk was only 5 minutes.  I decided that I would post it on the blog for those of you that may be interested in reading.

Graduation Speech

What a great and somewhat overwhelming opportunity to stand up here and try to represent all of you, and summarize the experiences we have had during our studies. I remember back to when I first started nursing school, after finishing my two years of prerequisites for the program, and having even being put on the waiting list to be accepted. I was so grateful to finally be in school, working toward that tangible goal of getting my bachelors degree in nursing. It was very fulfilling to be at a point when I was learning the things I had looked forward to for a long time. Although that was at a different time, place, and even school – I have similar feelings with the family nurse practitioner program here at BYU. It is, however, always daunting to begin any new program, any new topic, or any new phase of life. I regularly felt bogged down in the quagmire of seemingly endless information.

Thankfully, we are blessed with outstanding faculty and staff that know how to best navigate us to this significant destination – Graduation.

I believe whole-heartedly in the graduation theme “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.”

It is on this quote from Aristotle I would like to direct our attention. Not only have my own experiences taught this truth to me, but also the friends I have made through the course of graduate school. Provided our graduating group is only 13, I have come to know and appreciate each person for their particular strength. Our group is full of examples of excellence coming from repeated actions. These repeated actions have their root in years of training as nurses.

Few people I know have mastered their knowledge of, or are as dedicated to the study and treatment of diabetes as Callene. Similarly, Joan has become an expert on care and treatment of cancer patients. And Bob literally knows the ins and outs of Gastro-Interology better than any of us. Steven, who was able to teach even me ACLS, has shown his true expertise in emergency medicine and teaching.

My husband told me about a book he recently read (because I was too busy to reading Patho) called “Outliers”. Written by Malcom Gladwell, the book concludes the extent of an individual’s success may be correlated to the 10,000 hour rule. To paraphrase the rule, it states something to the effect that success in any field is, in part, a function of the individual practicing a specific task for at least 10,000 hours. While few of us have achieved 10,000 hours working at a single task, I know several that have. Ryan has worked over 19,000 hours in acute emergency care, and has achieved mastery of the repeated tasks that relatively few do. Similarly Virginia, has worked in the ER for over 15 years, and has reached the 10,000 hour threshold of mastery…she has also mastered driving up and down Provo canyon. Also, I’m certain Todd has biked 10,000 hours – seeing as he rode to school every day rain or shine, and in any free time-he also managed to bring the class orange rolls in his backpack.

According to Gladwell’s theory, all of us graduating today, assuming we continue practicing as health care professionals, will likely achieve success in our new professions through repetition, and creation of positive habits. And positive habits, according to Aristotle, leads to excellence – our ultimate goal.

I would be remiss to discuss excellence and success through devotion of our time and resources, without

It is challenging, to say the least, for an individual to fulfill their potential without support and sacrifice on the part of loved ones. 10,000 hours is a lot of time – time away from spouses, children, and other family members and friends – to reach excellence.

After years of study, we have become sensitive to the knowledge that there is still so much we do not know. It is crucial that we continue to strive for increased learning and understanding.

Thus being said, we look to the future. We have a lot of hours ahead of us to reach our full potential. There will be even more personal and family sacrifice. The learning cannot stop. Good habits will have to continue, evolve and change. We have only just begun to learn the Healer’s Art.paying special tribute to the sacrifice and love of our families and friends. I’m aware of many sacrifices made by those in my group. In particular, Scott left his wife, at 8 months pregnant and young son to go to Ecuador to teach the nursing undergraduates. Likewise Nate, left his house, job and extended family in Cedar City to move his young family to Salt Lake. Carol, is on the other end of family life-her grown children, spouses and grandchildren didn’t get to see her as much as they would have had she not gone to the FNP

I also wanted to post pictures of my friends from the FNP program. I didn't get pictures of many people from my undergraduate program and now I can only remember 10 people so I made it a priority to get as many pictures as possible.

Joan Collet and Nate Littlefield

Callene Bobo, Craig Nuttal, Scott Summers

Bob Ralston, Nate, Joan and Ryan Rasmussen

Virginia Giles

Liz Daniels Gardner

Carol Loucks

I have also decided to take a full-time job, down in Provo at a pediatric office. Wish me luck.