The Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and Director of the Department of Nursing at our university, Cristina Monforte, greeted the new graduates and welcomed her “colleagues” to their new profession. Then she handed the floor to the patron for this year’s graduates, Carles Capdevila.

The Catalan journalist began his speech by saying -in his own words- that he felt “a bit surprised”:  “I have been invited to be a patron for communication graduates, because I am a journalist, for teacher training graduates, because I have talked about education, but nursing! That’s a first!”.  He said that he is proud to be this year’s patron, since he considers himself to be the “president of the nurses’ fan club.” He then said that his appreciation for nurses, “is due to the fact that ten months ago I was diagnosed with cancer and I have spent all this time surrounded by all of you. Due to the way you have cared for me I have been able to understand the importance of your work, the good that it does and the fact that it is so invisible”.

Carles Capdevila assured the new nurses that many of the problems they will face and solutions they will find are related to “the way in which you communicate”.  “And in order to communicate- he added- you must feel empathy for other people”.

Esther Gallego and David Martínez gave a speech on behalf of the bachelor’s degree students. Subsequently Lorena Moya and Alba Fernández gave a talk on behalf of the master’s students.  Albert Balaguer, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, closed the event by thanking all the professors and family members, and he did not fail to mention “all the management and administration staff” as well.

The event ended with the university’s traditional song "Gaudeamus Igitur”.