Sigma Theta Tau (STT) International is the Honor Society of Nursing whose name translates to mean: Love, Courage, and Honor. The organization provides leadership and scholarship in practice, education, and research. The overarching purpose is to enhance the health of all people everywhere.
Many universities support a local chapter to promote scholarship. The William Paterson University nursing department initiated a steering committee in 1981. The first induction ceremony occurred in 1982. After that, the Iota Alpha charter was charted in1986. As a result, this year it will commemorate 40 years of service to the northern New Jersey area.
The growth continued, and in October 2019, William Paterson University and Bloomfield College united to form an at-large chapter keeping the Iota Alpha name. Since that time, the two schools have joined forces in offering an annual Induction Ceremony in the fall and a Research Day in the spring.
Students’ research has also been accepted internationally. Pictured is student Christopher Cela, who presented a poster presentation on The Role of Stigma on NICU Nurses’ Perception on Caring for the Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Mother Baby Dyad, at the 4th Biennial European Conference in June of 2018 at Cambridge, United Kingdom.
The most recent Research Day was held on the Bloomfield campus. Students from both schools presented outcomes of the research they conducted, which continue to contribute to the unique body of knowledge that is nursing. The student’s research covered many topics, some of which included Race Correction in Pulmonary Function Testing; Analysis of Oral Immunotherapy in Children with Cow’s Milk Allergy; and Critical Congenital Cardiac Defects in Neonates. The topics reflect the broad range of interest areas of these rising leaders.
The past-president of the NJ State Nursing Association, Sandy Foley, DNP, RN, offered the keynote address at the recent WPU-Bloomfield fall induction. Dr. Foley encouraged the attendees to become nursing leaders. She reminded all that leadership often starts with one simple “yes”. “Inductees, this is your first big ‘Yes’ to leadership.” And she shared that she didn’t begin as a leader. She began as someone who simply cared deeply. Dr. Foley cited the proverb, ‘If you are not at the table, you are on the menu.’ (attributed to anonymous). And she encouraged everyone to pull up a chair to the table, as your voice is essential in shaping the future of nursing.
One of Iota Alpha’s faculty counselors is Samantha Rueter, DNP, RNC-NIC. She comments on the many facets of healthcare. She states that “Healthcare is like a car, it can be any year, make, or model. You must take good care of the engine and its parts in order for it to keep on moving. Underneath the hood are the nurses that represent the engine that makes the car go.” She is reminding nurses that when nurses run well, the healthcare system will also run better. As nurses grow in the personal and professional qualities of love, courage, and honor, it will result in the positive health outcome at the core of Sigma Theta Tau International — it will increase healthcare outcomes for people everywhere.
The current officers include: Jacquelyn Svercauski — president; Lydia Albuquerque — vice president; Karen Phillips — treasurer & delegate; Daria Napierkowski — secretary & delegate; Samantha Rueter- faculty counselor (WP); Doreen Gagnon — faculty counselor (Bloomfield) and Sharon Puchalski (member ambassador)
We are all encouraged to Love, have Courage, and Honor ourselves in the profession of nursing so we may provide Love, Courage, and Honor for everyone to improve healthcare to all people everywhere.
