I posted a thread in the general student discussion about how nervous I am about speaking at the pinning ceremony. Well, since then I have gotten over my fears but now I don't know what to say. I asked all of my classmates to give me ideas on what they want me to include in the speech but so far I have gotten zero feedback. I had an idea of starting off with top ten list of " You know you're a nursing student when...." Or top ten things I've learned since being in nursing school is..." Anyway, how should I start and end my speech. I want to reprensent the class as a whole and I don't want to focus on my experiences alone. I also want to make it comical and not a drag. So please help me figure this out. Thanks. ( pinning is in 17 days !!!)

my cousin, who was a corpsman in the navy, used to have a lot of fun telling nurses about how he often would tell unsuspecting newbies to run down to the lab to get a fallopian tube and bring it back stat. that might be something funny to start off with and say that we all know what the joke means today. you might want to talk about "dreams" and why you all went into nursing, how some of your dreams have been changed a bit by realities you have been exposed to, but also remind everyone that the dreams are still there and do a run down of what they are. you might want to go to each of your classmates and find out what it is that they are planning for their future and work that into your speech. it would make it very personal and be like a wish of good luck for each person. you might even want to particularly mention any difficulties that the class as a whole or some individually experienced along the way (with their permission). nursing is about learning. talk about the things you learned not only about nursing, but about yourself and how you have grown and are continuing to grow as a human being. also, the word commencement means beginning, so while the pinning represents the end of your formal schooling it also means the beginning of a new phase of your learning and growth as nurses. i would also give some special recognition and thanks to your instructors.

during our pinning we had an introduction speech, instructor speech and a student speech. I've attached the student speech so you can get an idea what we said. The welcome speech said something to the effect that "this night is about all of us in this room, our loved ones and family as well as the graduates. Its a celebration of our accomplishments and not one of us could have done it without you. etc.,etc.,

Here's the student speech:

Good evening everyone. Wow, its been a long year. I remember the first day of nursing school when we all looked like scared little kindergartners, wondering where to go, what to do and how we were going to make it through this. Over the next few months, we cried as our class dwindled in size and cheered together as we finished one care plan after another. We've laughed together, cried together, had nervous breakdowns together, laughed together, laughed together, and laughed together but most importantly, we've made new friends. Friends that we share a common bond with. Despite the differences that we've all brought to the table we got through this first year together.

When you first enter nursing school, they tell you that no one is going to understand what you are going through unless they have been there themselves. For the most part, this is true. No one can truly understand the way nursing school warps your mind to think in terms of critical thinking unless they've been there. No one else can continue to eat their Mexican food while discussing the bowel patterns of your newest admission. And no one else will get excited when you call and tell them you saw the coolest Code last night.

What they don't tell you is your family will understand. They will understand that they don't need their blood pressure checked every hour. They will understand that they really don't want to have IV's practiced on them anymore. They will understand that they just don't care about the 30 mm tunneling decubitus that you packed last night. And they will understand that their loved one is not working on their Licensed Practical Nursing Diploma, they are working on becoming a Licensed Practical Nutcase.

Another thing they tell you when you enter nursing school is to kiss your family good bye because you won't have time to do anything with them. This is fact and I'm pretty sure, everyone here will agree. We have sacrificed family dinners, family outings and play dates with the kids in order to learn how to wrap an ace bandage around the shoe and sock of a sprained ankle or the many uses of yogurt. At times, it has felt that our family may have forgotten us but we are here to say.......Remember us?!! We're back!! at least til August.

In all seriousness, this year has been long and hard. Without the love, support and free daycare from our families there is not one of us who would be here right now. We love you all and thank you for being there, or not being there when we are trying to study.

There is one other important person who has contributed to our success. This woman has been our instructor, our sounding board and is responsible for sending us home to practice all our new found skills on you. She has been our friend, mentor and taught us how to provide privacy for mannaquins. We will truly miss her next year. Ms. Jackson, can you please come up here.

***blah blah blah...give her the pic****

Forgot to add that the reference to the ace bandage and yogurt are "inside jokes" from one of our classes. I'm sure you have some of those too lol.

Daytonite and pharmgirl.... Thanks so much. Pharmgirl your speech was funny and made me laugh. I definitely have an idea on how I want to write the speech. Thanks guys !!!

That was an awesome speech