By David Johnson
Emilianne Dougall practiced her harp in a large empty auditorium in the Harmon Building. She knew that in a few minutes the hundreds of empty chairs in the hall would be filled with students, faculty members, alumni and honored guests attending the College of Nursing 50th anniversary celebration.
Dougall, 21, a senior in nursing from Portland, Ore., accompanied the Nursing College Choir as they premiered a new song by Fine Arts and Communications Dean, K Newell Dayley written especially for the occasion. Apart from writing the new tune, Dayley also composed the music to the classic LDS Hymn, “Lord, I Would Follow Thee” from which the School of Nursing gets its motto: I would learn the healers art.
“Working with the school of nursing is a unique opportunity because they are so absolutely service oriented,” said Daily, who co-wrote the new song with Nursing Professor Carolyn Sutherland. “This song is centered in their way of viewing the world. And it is quite a wonderful way.”
It seems that Dayley is right. The College takes this motto seriously. Every year BYU nursing students travel around the world to provide medical services to those in need.
“We worked in hospital in Guatemala City giving care to children in the pediatric intensive car unit,” said Melissa Sturve, 22, a senior in nursing from Susanville Calif.
Struve is one of a half dozen students whose pictures of nursing service in underdeveloped countries hang in the college offices.
“Overall I learned of gods love for all people no matter where they are,” Struve said. “They did more for me by teaching that to me, then I did for them with health services.”
Opening her scriptures, Struve then quoted from Alma 26:37, that encapsulates the feelings of her experience. The verse says God knows and loves every people.
Standing in front of the Carl Bloch painting “Christ Healing the Sick at Bethesda” At the opening ceremonies to the 50th anniversary BYU President Merrill Bateman echoed the message of service and healing taught in the painting.
“You as healers follow in the footsteps of the Master,” President Bateman said. “This painting is a message of the ultimate healer.”
The College of Nursing will be placing a replica of the Bloch painting in their offices said Mary Williams, Nursing”s Associate Dean. Williams said the painting captures the essence of the nursing discipline.
“It”s the physician often times that does the curing but it”s the nurse that”s involved in the healing of the patient,” Williams said. “It”s the art of nursing that makes all the difference to the individuals involved in the healing process.”
