At Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, the “Nursing Week Symposium,” organized to draw attention to the importance of nursing, one of the most sacred professions in the field of healthcare, has begun.
The opening program of the symposium, held at the Sezai Karakoç Cultural Center, was attended by BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Bekir Hakan Bakkal, Secretary General Prof. Dr. Zehra Safi Öz, Zonguldak Branch Head of Turkish Nurses Association Arife Ayaz, academic and administrative staff, and many students.
The program began with a moment of silence in memory of the nation’s martyrs and the recitation of the National Anthem. The opening ceremony then continued with protocol speeches.
Prof. Dr. Kürtüncü: “Nursing is a sacred profession that touches human life”
Delivering the opening speech of the program, BEUN Head of the Nursing Department Prof. Dr. Meltem Kürtüncü stated that the nursing profession is a sacred profession carried out with conscience, compassion, and love for humanity, expressing the following remarks:
“Nursing, which becomes hope during the most difficult moments of human life, is the finest representation of patience, sacrifice, and love for humanity. Our nurses, who are an inseparable part of healthcare services, work with great devotion day and night. I would like to express my gratitude to our Rector, Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer, for his valuable support in advancing nursing education at our university to a stronger level, and I congratulate the entire healthcare community on Nursing Week.”
President Ayaz: “Nursing is a lifetime devoted to humanity”
Following Prof. Dr. Kürtüncü, Zonguldak Branch Head of Turkish Nurses Association Arife Ayaz took the podium and emphasized the vital importance of the nursing profession for public health, stating the following:
“Nursing is a great humanitarian duty carried out with conscience. Being able to share a patient’s pain, stand by them during their most difficult moments, and give them hope requires great dedication. Our nurses, who are among the heroes of our healthcare system, fulfill an important responsibility that touches human life. On this occasion, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to organizing such a meaningful program.”
Prof. Dr. Koçak: “I wish the symposium success”
After Zonguldak Branch Head of Turkish Nurses Association Arife Ayaz, BEUN Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences Prof. Dr. Sibel Koçak took the podium to deliver her speech and stated that nursing education holds strategic importance for public health, expressing the following remarks:
“Training qualified human resources in the field of healthcare is possible through a strong academic vision. In recent years, our Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing Department have demonstrated significant progress in academic and physical fields, as well as in studies addressing social and public awareness. I would like to express my gratitude to our Rector, Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer, for his valuable support for the nursing profession and healthcare education at our university and for his contributions in strengthening our university’s position in the field of healthcare day by day.”
Rector Özölçer: “Nursing is the name of conscience, compassion, and love for humanity”
Following Prof. Dr. Koçak, BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer took the podium and, in his speech regarding the meaning and importance of Nursing Week, emphasized the value healthcare workers hold for society, expressing the following remarks:
“On the occasion of Nursing Week, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our nurses who work devotedly day and night for human health, especially our valuable nurses serving at our University Hospital, as well as throughout our country and around the world. On this sacred path they have embarked upon to bring healing to humanity, I sincerely celebrate the Nursing Week of our healthcare workers who combine compassion with knowledge, patience with conscience, and labor with love for humanity.
Last month, we presented uniforms to 180 students studying in our Nursing Department. On that day, we all witnessed together the first steps of our students preparing for their professional lives. As Mevlana stated: ‘Through love, pains become sweet; through love, copper turns into gold; through love, troubles find healing.’
Undoubtedly, at the foundation of healthcare services lie love, compassion, and the will to sustain human life. Indeed, in the light of this belief, tomorrow we will present certificates of appreciation to our nurses who have successfully completed their specialization training at our University Hospital. At the same time, we will present plaques to our valuable nurses who have served with great devotion for twenty years. I wholeheartedly congratulate them in advance and wish them health, peace, and ease in their professional lives. Each of our nurses is a living representative of patience, labor, and love for humanity. Their extraordinary effort is a great service devoted to humanity. Through this symposium organized in honor of this service, we have gathered here today together with our experienced academics, our students who carry the excitement of acquiring knowledge, and our valuable colleagues devoted to the field of healthcare in order to open the doors to new horizons. I sincerely thank all scholars, valuable researchers, and distinguished guests who contributed to the organization of the symposium and enriched this scientific platform by participating from different institutions across our country, and I wish the symposium success.”
Certificates of Appreciation Presented to the Speakers
Following the speeches, the opening ceremony of the symposium continued with the presentation of certificates of appreciation and flowers by BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer to the academics who took part as speakers in the symposium. The program concluded with a commemorative photograph taken in memory of the day. Nursing Week activities will continue throughout the week with various programs.
