A recent pinning ceremony celebrated the accomplishments of 25 Wichita State University School of Nursing students. South-central Kansas' only accelerated nursing program held the ceremony for the accelerated nursing class on the evening of Friday, July 6, at Wichita State's Hughes Metropolitan Complex.

Betty Smith-Campbell, chairperson of the School of Nursing, served as moderator and inspiration for the graduating class.

"I know it may not seem like it because of what you have heard or are experiencing in looking for a job, but we have a looming nursing shortage," said Smith-Campbell. "The growing aging population will increase care. The government predicts a 29 percent nursing vacancy rate at hospitals by 2020."

She also reminded graduates of the rich history nurses have offered to humanity, citing the work of Florence Nightingale and her fellow nurses in the Crimea war who decreased mortality rates from 42 percent to just 2 percent.

"Not only do nurse staff levels make a difference in patient outcomes, but educational levels also make a difference," Smith-Campbell said. "Nurses prepared at the baccalaureate level are linked with lower mortality and failure-to-rescue rates."

Smith-Campbell added that a nurse researcher recently found that every 10 percent increase in the proportion of BSN nurses on a hospital staff was associated with a 4 percent decrease in the risk of death.

"Today as graduates and future registered nurses," Smith-Campbell said, "you are called to improve the lives of your patients, families and our community."