Nursing’s Bear Down Day!
For University of Arizona College of Nursing students, “Bear Down!” means more than a rallying cry. It’s a mindset that challenges them to push further, rise to the occasion in difficult moments, and be prepared when others are counting on them.
Each semester, that spirit comes to life during Bear Down Day!, an immersive, all-day skills lab for students in NURS 368: Nursing Care of the Childbearing Family. Through hands-on training and simulation, students practice the skills nurses need to care for patients and families during labor and delivery, one of life’s most significant moments.
On Aug. 28, 69 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students took on the challenge. More than 140 BSN students participate in Bear Down Day each year, gaining the hands-on experience and confidence needed to enter the nursing profession prepared to make a difference.
The college’s tradition began in 2013, when clinical professor Connie Miller, DNP, RNC-OB, CNE, created Bear Down Day as a way to make learning about childbirth and labor and delivery more engaging and memorable for the college’s students.
Today, Sharon Hitchcock, DNP, RN-C, associate clinical professor, and Melanie Welch, MSN, RN, senior lecturer, continue the tradition by bringing energy and enthusiasm to a training experience that challenges students to apply their knowledge in practice.
Bear Down Day is more than a nod to the University of Arizona’s iconic rallying cry. In its 100th year, “Bear Down” continues to embody the determination, perseverance, and excellence that define all Wildcats, driving knowledge forward and redefining what’s possible.
For nursing students, that means pushing further, rising to the occasion, and being prepared to care for others when it matters most.
That’s a true Bear Down moment!