What was your Pinning Ceremony like?

Nurses New Nurse

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Hey New Grads! (or less recent grads too!)

What did you do for your pinning ceremony?

Where was it held?

What day and time?

Who was involved?

What worked well/ you would change?

I am in charge of the pinning ceremony committee for our graduating class in May. We are attempting to make some changes to the ceremony... it is usually the Sunday morning before graduation, held outside on our campus.

Last May there was a torrential rain storm and mud was everywhere. The tent where the graduates and their pinners sat was full of mud, people took their shoes off and waded in the mud to get to the platform! :eek: It was horrible and humiliating to think that after all the money spent, family members could not enjoy the ceremony... not to mention the graduates!

Our campus is beautiful... but we do not have an auditorium. We have taken our complaints/suggestions to the deans, and they are not thrilled, but we are pushing to make it a very nice, clean time!

I would appreciate any ideas... thanks! :specs:

Sandy

Hey Sandy--

My pinning ceremony is in two weeks. It's being held in the school auditorium, which, while quite large enough for our ~200 class, is a little tight when you add in guests. So unfortunately we're only allowed to invite 3 guests each. (This is different from the spring graduates who get their pinning and convocation at the Opera house nearby).

It's on a Monday at 5 pm with a reception afterwards.

We have to pick someone to pin us, and it can't be a faculty member or another graduating student. This is rather irksome. I'd rather the dean pinned me.

I can let you know more after the fact.

Why don't you rent a hall? Our school rents out a nearby art gallery for our Ball and the Opera house for the convocation. Then the entire university rents out the Civic center for the university-wide graduation.

Specializes in L&D.

It's neat that you actually get a pinning ceremony. I just found out today that we graduate with everyone else, and we get pinned at our graduation by one of three faculty members. That kinda stinks. I went to a friend's pinning ceremony--it was separate from graduation and her mom got to pin her. Oh well--maybe if we raise enough of a stink, they will change it!

Specializes in geriatrics.

I just got home from my last day of LPN school. Just before leaving the classroom, the head of the nursing department announces she has something for us. Then she proceeds to call our names and present us with our diploma and pin(double boxed, mind you) and we were done. We did not get "pinned". Oh, wait, we first had to pay for the stripes for our caps.......that we should have gotten two months ago!! THEN we were done. We wanted to have a pinning ceremony, but were told we could not, at least not on school property, or if we mentioned the school's name. I am the president of our class, and could not get any one to listen to us, but was told we could arrange a pinning ceremony on our own...somewhere else!:angryfire We have felt we were treated like crap our whole time in school, so sadly this was no surprise. And we were forced to graduate---the *only* ceremony sanctioned by the school---in September with the other classes who were finished with training. They got diplomas and we got a piece of paper that said "Keep up the good work". Very demoralizing. As we say in the South, they treated us like red-headed-stepchildren. We decided not to arrange a pinning ceremony because of the schools stance on it and the fact that no one in my class can get along for more than five minutes, and when I brought it up for a vote, the main consideration on everyones mind was having to pay for it.:o It wasn't worth the fight. So, here I sit, having accomplished something I never thought I would at 39 years of age, pin and diploma in hand, and feeling icky about the whole thing. So, please plan something, and celebrate your accomplishment with your classmates, and don't worry about how, just be glad you can be recognized as being as special and enjoy your day(or night)!:balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons:

Congratulations! On to the N-CLex!

Specializes in geriatrics.

I just got home from my last day of LPN school. Just before leaving the classroom, the head of the nursing department announces she has something for us. Then she proceeds to call our names and present us with our diploma and pin(double boxed, mind you) and we were done. We did not get "pinned". Oh, wait, we first had to pay for the stripes for our caps.......that we should have gotten two months ago!! THEN we were done. We wanted to have a pinning ceremony, but were told we could not, at least not on school property, or if we mentioned the school's name. I am the president of our class, and could not get any one to listen to us, but was told we could arrange a pinning ceremony on our own...somewhere else!:angryfire We have felt we were treated like crap our whole time in school, so sadly this was no surprise. And we were forced to graduate---the *only* ceremony sanctioned by the school---in September with the other classes who were finished with training. They got diplomas and we got a piece of paper that said "Keep up the good work". Very demoralizing. As we say in the South, they treated us like red-headed-stepchildren. We decided not to arrange a pinning ceremony because of the schools stance on it and the fact that no one in my class can get along for more than five minutes, and when I brought it up for a vote, the main consideration on everyones mind was having to pay for it.:o It wasn't worth the fight. So, here I sit, having accomplished something I never thought I would at 39 years of age, pin and diploma in hand, and feeling icky about the whole thing. So, please plan something, and celebrate your accomplishment with your classmates, and don't worry about how, just be glad you can be recognized as being as special and enjoy your day(or night)!:balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons:

Congratulations! On to the N-CLex!

Argghhh Pinning!

Our pinning ceremony was scheduled for tonight. I was a member of the planning committee, and found our keynote speaker, I choose the processional music, and helped out with other decisions being made. I was also going to do the closing remarks. So you can imagine how excited I was to see all this planning come to fruition.

Well, we had a wee bit of snow last night. The temperature dropped and there was some ice. Schools in my area opened two hours late.

Today were scheduled to meet in the auditorium for rehearsal . We get there, everyone's excited, talking about family members that have traveled to see them, folks have their hair styled, etc. Our pinning committee advisor comes in and tell us that administration has decided to CANCEL pinning due to the weather. They aren't going to salt the parking lot and don't want anyone to be injured in case there's more ice tonight.

We were all soooo disappointed, a couple of people cried right there (I actually waited till I got into my car to shed a couple tears). It was sooooo disappointing. Each person in my class had contributed 20.00 toward the reception, gift for the speaker, decorations, etc. We had the art gallery reserved for our reception, cake, cookies, punch ordered.

I'm over it, but it was really a punch in the stomach.

But I'm a graduate, I'm thankful for that. I also received a reply from one of my applications today, they want to interview me. It's one of the best hospitals in the country, and their orientation/fellowship is amazing. So the day wasn't totally bad.

nptobe--that's terrible! I'd be so mad if I were you. :angryfire I think I'd write a letter to the dean to express your displeasure. They could have salted the parking lot or rescheduled it!

Good luck with your interviews.

Specializes in Bone Marrow Transplant.

I absolutely loved our pinning ceremony! It was so beautiful, and I will never forget that experience. It was on Dec.16 at 7:30 p.m. at a local church. I was on the pinning committee, and I was a part of the slide show committee. Everything was perfect. My favorite part of the pinning ceremony was the lighting of the candle and the reciting the Nightingale pledge.

Hats off to my December mates! We did it!

BSN2004NSU

Argghhh Pinning!

Our pinning ceremony was scheduled for tonight. I was a member of the planning committee, and found our keynote speaker, I choose the processional music, and helped out with other decisions being made. I was also going to do the closing remarks. So you can imagine how excited I was to see all this planning come to fruition.

Well, we had a wee bit of snow last night. The temperature dropped and there was some ice. Schools in my area opened two hours late.

Today were scheduled to meet in the auditorium for rehearsal . We get there, everyone's excited, talking about family members that have traveled to see them, folks have their hair styled, etc. Our pinning committee advisor comes in and tell us that administration has decided to CANCEL pinning due to the weather. They aren't going to salt the parking lot and don't want anyone to be injured in case there's more ice tonight.

We were all soooo disappointed, a couple of people cried right there (I actually waited till I got into my car to shed a couple tears). It was sooooo disappointing. Each person in my class had contributed 20.00 toward the reception, gift for the speaker, decorations, etc. We had the art gallery reserved for our reception, cake, cookies, punch ordered.

I'm over it, but it was really a punch in the stomach.

But I'm a graduate, I'm thankful for that. I also received a reply from one of my applications today, they want to interview me. It's one of the best hospitals in the country, and their orientation/fellowship is amazing. So the day wasn't totally bad.

So sorry to hear about the pinning being cancelled! :o

Specializes in Adult Med-Surg, Rehab, and Ambulatory Care.
Hey New Grads! (or less recent grads too!)

What did you do for your pinning ceremony?

Where was it held?

What day and time?

Who was involved?

What worked well/ you would change?

Sandy

We didn't have one. My school doesn't have a pinning ceremony for December grads...we have to wait until May when the other class graduates to have a joint pinning ceremony.

Specializes in home health, LTC, assisted living.
I just got home from my last day of LPN school. Just before leaving the classroom, the head of the nursing department announces she has something for us. Then she proceeds to call our names and present us with our diploma and pin(double boxed, mind you) and we were done. We did not get "pinned". Oh, wait, we first had to pay for the stripes for our caps.......that we should have gotten two months ago!! THEN we were done. We wanted to have a pinning ceremony, but were told we could not, at least not on school property, or if we mentioned the school's name. I am the president of our class, and could not get any one to listen to us, but was told we could arrange a pinning ceremony on our own...somewhere else!:angryfire We have felt we were treated like crap our whole time in school, so sadly this was no surprise. And we were forced to graduate---the *only* ceremony sanctioned by the school---in September with the other classes who were finished with training. They got diplomas and we got a piece of paper that said "Keep up the good work". Very demoralizing. As we say in the South, they treated us like red-headed-stepchildren. We decided not to arrange a pinning ceremony because of the schools stance on it and the fact that no one in my class can get along for more than five minutes, and when I brought it up for a vote, the main consideration on everyones mind was having to pay for it.:o It wasn't worth the fight. So, here I sit, having accomplished something I never thought I would at 39 years of age, pin and diploma in hand, and feeling icky about the whole thing. So, please plan something, and celebrate your accomplishment with your classmates, and don't worry about how, just be glad you can be recognized as being as special and enjoy your day(or night)!:balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons:

Congratulations! On to the N-CLex!

Hi, I am an LPN grad also, we received nothing, no caps, pins or diplomas as of yet. Those are coming in the mail. Our ceremony is in May with the rest of the school. I don't mind not receiving a cap, but a f----- pinning would have been very nice. I hope the rest of ya had a better time of it! oh, and be proud of yourself at 39!!!!!!! You are awesome!!!. I am 46 myself and I just finished. Good luck.

Specializes in LDRP.

well, mine isn't until May, but from what i know about it, it will be on a Thursday night, the night before graduation. 6pm. held in a local "performance hall" that has a nice stage, 900 seats, etc. very nice. will have food afterwards.

i dont know much else about it, but im excited. im glad its separate from the college graduation

love, rose

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