Health and Human Services News

Stepping into clinical care with compassion

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April 29 was a momentous occasion for 11 students in Missouri State University’s School of Nursing. 

They participated in the school’s White Coat Ceremony, an event that marks the transition from classroom learning to hands-on clinical practice. The ceremony represents more than wearing a uniform. It symbolizes the importance of compassionate patient care at the very start of clinicals.  

“This is a significant milestone in the journey of our future Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP),” said Dr. Melissa Penkalski, graduate program director and associate professor in the School of Nursing. “We’re celebrating the transformation to the practice of healing and compassionate care to make a positive impact on patients.” 

Embracing the oath of care 

The ceremony opened with a welcome by Penkalski, followed by a moving moment as the students recited an oath to compassionate patient care and donned the iconic white coat, which signifies their status as health care professionals. 

“Let your knowledge guide you but let empathy lead you,” said Dr. Lori Taula, clinical assistant professor. “Today you wear the coat — not just for yourself, but for those who will place their trust in you.” 

Dr. Ronda Entlicher-Stewart, FNP program coordinator and clinical assistant professor, gave the keynote speech, emphasizing the importance of humanism. 

“In the ever-changing health care arena, with increased focus on the use of technology, we cannot overemphasize the importance of incorporating humanism into daily clinical practice,” said Entlicher-Stewart. “This ceremony provided the platform to engage students at the start of clinical and recognize connection and compassion as integral components of the delivery of health care.” 

She notes the students were proactive in coming to the faculty and the Family Nurse Practitioner Student Association group to incorporate a White Coat Ceremony. The Arnold P. Gold Foundation gave resources to assist with the event and provide the pins. 

A personal reflection from future nurses 

After the students received their pins in front of family and friends, the ceremony concluded with a closing speech by Sarah Page, a FNP student from the Class of 2027.   

“I believe there’s great value in a White Coat Ceremony,” she said. “For us students, it not only signifies a time for celebration in the work we’ve done and the milestones we’ve reached but it also signifies the importance of the roles we’re preparing for.” 

She also believes such a ceremony allows students to take a step back and remember why they chose to become nurse practitioners and gives light to those patients who have touched their hearts. 

A tradition rooted in humanism 

The original White Coat Ceremony began in 1993 at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons by Dr. Arnold P. Gold, who was a professor and pediatric neurologist. A passionate advocate for humanistic health care, he believed the oath taken by new physicians at the end of medical school came too late. 

Through the nonprofit organization he and his wife, Dr. Sandra Gold, started, the Arnold P. Gold Foundation has expanded the White Coat Ceremony around the globe. Today, nearly every medical school in the United States, hundreds of nursing schools and many other health profession schools around the globe participate in this tradition of humanistic care. 

“This ceremony is so important because it requires each student to publicly commit their intention to care for every patient with compassion,” said Dr. Kathleen Reeves, president and CEO of the Gold Foundation.  

“The White Coat Ceremony also shows Missouri State’s School of Nursing’s commitment to humanism for patients, families, health care workers, faculty, the community and their students. Humanism is truly essential to health for all of us; it’s so important that we must start every student’s journey with a personal commitment to humanism.” 

The Gold Foundation champions the human connection in health care. The foundation engages schools and their students, health systems, companies and individual clinicians in the joy and meaning of humanistic health care, so patients and their families can be partners in collaborative, compassionate and scientifically excellent care.

The White Coat recipients 

Class of 2026

Karly Soden 

Class of 2027 

Angela Beck
Heather Day
Lucy George
Amanda Hayward
Sarah Page
Liz Reida
Roopa Ramaswamy
Skylar Schafer
Elizabeth Steward
Ellie Villanueva 

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Faculty research on display

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Research took the spotlight at Missouri State University on April 11. 

The Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning hosted its first-ever Spring Scholarship Summit in Meyer Library. Faculty members from various disciplines showcased their latest research and scholarly projects through interactive poster presentations.  

Over 20 presenters participated with 14 posters displayed. Attendees got to meet the presenters, explore new research ideas and engage in meaningful conversations.  

Ten faculty members from McQueary College of Health and Human Services (MCHHS) took part in the Spring Scholarship Summit. Five led poster presentations while the rest contributed as interdisciplinary co-authors. 

The summit underscored Missouri State’s continued commitment to teaching excellence and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Promoting trauma-informed care 

From the School of Nursing, Dr. Diane Smith, assistant professor, collaborated with Dr. Cindi Aurentz, assistant professor, and Dr. Melissa Penkalski, associate professor and graduate program director.

From left to right: Drs. Cindi Aurentz, Melissa Penkalski and Diane Smith.
From left to right: Drs. Cindi Aurentz, Melissa Penkalski and Diane Smith.

Together, they presented “Trauma-Informed Education for Nursing Faculty: Caring for the Next Generation of Nurses.”    

The team began the project in 2021, aiming to help faculty use trauma-informed care training to better support students both in classrooms and clinical settings.

“We welcome every opportunity to share the principles of trauma-informed care, as this is a topic we all care deeply about,” Smith said. “We hope these practices are integrated.” 

Fostering interprofessional collaboration 

From left to right- Natalie Allen, Bonnie Slavych, Wendy Jackson, and Traci Garrison.
From left to right: Natalie Allen, Dr. Bonnie Slavych, Wendy Jackson and Dr. Traci Garrison.

Registered dietitian Natalie Allen is a clinical associate professor of nutrition and dietetics. She presented “Emphasizing Interprofessional Education Through a Virtual Case Study Connecting Healthcare Students” alongside her colleagues as part of ongoing interprofessional collaboration. 

Allen and three other faculty members from multiple disciplines worked together on this project. They included: Dr. Traci Garrison, clinical associate professor in the School of Health Care Professions; Wendy Jackson, clinical assistant professor in the School of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences; and Dr. Bonnie Slavych, assistant professor in communication sciences and disorders.

Their poster explored how virtual case studies can strengthen interprofessional collaboration in health care education.  

The study brought together students from different majors to build teamwork, communication and decision-making skills in an online setting. It also helped them understand each other’s roles and practice collaborative contribution to patient-centered care in real-world environments. 

“The summit was a great opportunity to promote interprofessional collaboration and show the value of connecting different disciplines,” Allen said. “This project helped all of our students gain the skills and confidence they need before stepping into real-world practice.” 

Focusing on resilience 

Dr. Debbie Horine, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, presented “Introducing Resilience to Pre-Licensure Nursing Students to Recognize and Address Lateral Violence.”

From left to right- Cindi Aurentz, Kristen Thompson, Sara Wilson, and Diane Smith.
From left to right: Drs. Cindi Aurentz, Kristen Thompson, Sara Wilson and Diane Smith.

Her project focused on preparing nursing students to recognize workplace challenges and strengthen emotional resilience early in their careers. 

“While we can’t eliminate lateral violence, we can prepare students to recognize it, build resilience and manage stress,” Horine said. 

Dr. Sara Wilson and Dr. Kristen Thompson, both assistant professors in the School of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences, co-presented two posters: 

  • “The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Higher Education” 
  • “Combating Loneliness Through Intergenerational Living Communities” 

The first study examined how early trauma affects college students’ academic performance and mental health. The second study focused more broadly on community well-being, exploring how intergenerational housing can reduce isolation and foster connection. 

Together, the research underscores the importance of trauma-informed practices and community-based solutions that strengthen resilience and belonging. 

“I’m driven to explore how we can support positive outcomes right here on our campus and in our communities,” Wilson said. 

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Looking at vaccine inequity in Missouri

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As COVID-19 vaccines rolled out across the country, vaccination disparities across racial and ethnic lines became quite clear. 

“Current data shows the rates at which the Missouri population is being vaccinated: approximately 36% for white people, 29% for Black people, 43% for Hispanic people, and 56% for Asian people,” said Dr. Melissa Penkalski, associate professor of nursing at Missouri State University.  

What’s causing the difference? 

The vaccination disparity has many explanations, according to Penkalski. 

Some communities have risk factors that can make members more susceptible. This leads to some communities with higher incident or infection rates. 

“These factors include lack of access, living in crowded housing, working in essential fields, stress, and chronic health conditions,” Penkalski said.  

The state is working to combat vaccine inequity, Penkalski noted. Improving access, providing education and making the vaccine readily available helps to ease the disparity.  

Penkalski stresses that vaccine hesitancy can be attributed to a lack of information on the topic. Providing people with additional information and acknowledging their concerns and beliefs can help to overcome this challenge.  

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