The organizing committee included faculty members from the PAU Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Nursing, as well as Nursing Services Directorate of Pamukkale University Hospitals, Denizli State Hospital Health Care Services Directorate, and Servergazi State Hospital Health Care Services Directorate.

The program was attended by several deans from Pamukkale University, including Prof. Dr. Serkan Bertan (Faculty of Tourism), Prof. Dr. Erdoğan Kavlak (Faculty of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation), Prof. Dr. Hayati Murat Akgül (Faculty of Dentistry), and Prof. Dr. Sevgi Özkan (Faculty of Health Sciences), along with hospital nursing directors, healthcare administrators, nurses, and nursing students. The event began with a moment of silence and the Turkish National Anthem, followed by a folk dance performance. In opening speeches, the critical role of nursing in healthcare systems and the importance of strong nursing education were emphasized.

In her opening speech, Demet Ekici, Nursing Services Director of Pamukkale University Hospitals, stated that nursing is a profession dedicated to humanity and drew attention to the International Council of Nurses (ICN) 2026 theme, “Our Nurses, Our Future: Empowered Nurses Save Lives.” She emphasized the importance of strengthening nursing education and improving working conditions for nurses to enhance healthcare quality, and extended her congratulations for Nursing Week.

Nurcan Damacı, Health Care Services Director of Denizli State Hospital, and Aysel Harktı, Health Care Services Director of Servergazi State Hospital, also highlighted the importance of collaboration between institutions and universities in strengthening the profession and extended their congratulations to all nurses.

Prof. Dr. Sevgi Özkan, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, emphasized the crucial role of quality nursing education in patient safety, ethical decision-making, and life-saving care. She stated that nurses should be supported through scientific knowledge, professional autonomy, and humanistic values.

The panel titled “Life-Saving Graduates Are Shaped Through Quality Education” was chaired by Prof. Dr. Hülya Okumuş and Prof. Dr. Sevgi Özkan. Presentations included topics such as the contribution of accreditation to nursing education, its impact on graduates and post-graduation processes, the state of nursing education in Türkiye, and the accreditation process of PAU’s Nursing Department.

Discussions highlighted the role of accreditation in ensuring quality assurance, fostering continuous improvement, and enhancing the development of both students and educators. The importance of evaluating nursing programs in terms of quantitative and qualitative adequacy for training competent, well-equipped, and life-saving nurses was also emphasized.

The program concluded with a Q&A session, followed by the presentation of plaques, flowers, and certificates of appreciation to speakers and session chairs. Certificates were also awarded to students and volunteers who demonstrated compliance with the “Five Indications Rule” during hand hygiene observations conducted at PAU Hospitals, and the event ended with a group photo session.