BSN Program Celebrates International Nurses Day 2024

2 min read

YEREVAN, Armenia — On May 10, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at the American University of Armenia (AUA) celebrated International Nurses Day by hosting a special self-care event at the Akian Art Gallery. This event was dedicated to appreciating and valuing the work of compassionate and hardworking nurses who devote their lives to caring for others. As part of the celebration, the program organized an art therapy session for BSN students, investing in the nurses’ well-being. In a brightly lit room decorated with colorful canvases and easels, students gathered to harness their creativity and explore the therapeutic power of art. Guided by skilled artists, the BSN faculty and students had the opportunity to paint colorful, interesting, and beautiful paintings and create a memorable day. 

International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world each year on May 12, which marks the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. This year, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) commemorated this important day with the “Economic Power of Care” theme, shedding light on the financial constraints and societal undervaluation nurses face worldwide. ICN’s aim aligns perfectly with the AUA BSN program’s goal of reshaping perceptions and showing how strategic investment in nursing can bring significant economic and societal gains. Investing in nurses’ well-being is one such strategy.

The Nurses Day activities continued on May 12, when BSN faculty members Vicky Herkelian and Adena Alahverdian represented AUA in a nursing congress jointly organized by the Society of Oncology, Hematology and Palliative Care Nurses of Armenia, Yeolyan Hematology and Oncology Center, Yerevan State Medical University, and the Armenian Association of Hematology and Oncology, specifically dedicated to Nurses Day. The congress hosted over 200 nurses from various healthcare settings. During the first part of the congress, AUA BSN faculty delivered a comprehensive presentation on “Nursing Ethics,” focusing on various principles, theories, and values that guide ethical decision-making in nursing, in addition to highlighting the frequent ethical issues that nurses face during their work.

Second-year BSN student Vera Minasyan (BSN ’25) also delivered an interesting presentation titled “Port-a-cath,” discussing the porthole structure and function mechanism of portacaths, as well as their merits and demerits, and the nurses’ role in portacath insertion, care, and management. 

“AUA holds the nursing profession in the highest regard, recognizing its pivotal role in the healthcare system and its substantial impact on the well-being of individuals and communities at large,” said BSN Program Chair Dr. Nour Alayan. “The University is delighted to see the BSN students’ growth and achievements and proudly celebrates Nurses Day on campus every year.” 

The AUA Turpanjian College of Health Sciences works actively to improve population health and health services in Armenia and the region through interdisciplinary education and development of health professionals to be leaders in public health, nursing, health services research and evaluation, and health care delivery and management.