Pinning Ceremony

Nursing Students General Students

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Hi All! I am in charge of planning the pinning ceremony for my class this year. I am looking for any advice any of you may have to make it special. I was thinking about putting together a goodie bag for everyone in my class so I was wondering if anyone has any advice as to what we could put into the goodie bag. One idea I had was to get everyone a copy of Florence Nightingale's Notes on Nursing book.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Maybe you can include a short hand written note, I think it would really mean a lot to know someone took the time to write a little note for you :) Maybe a quote or a "great job!"

Get all the different nurse uniforms from the decades and show them getting pinned...

Highly unlikely though...?

I would have lived a film set to music of pictures through school!!!!

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

What's your budget? Any restrictions on seeking donations from community 'supporters'? There's a lot you can do, but you'll need to be realistic. Also - keep in mind cultural/demographic sensitivity. What seems like a great idea for some may just be awkward or embarrassing to others.

At the most memorable pinning ceremony I have ever attended - previous alumni of the faith-based school (old, very old & semi-ancient) were invited to bestow the pins.. and they came dolled up in their uniforms. There was an extended program that listed the names, grad dates & a career summary for each presenter. It provided a clear message - how each successive graduating class will continue the school's legacy.

A retractable badge holder with "RN" on it for when they get they're first badge, small bandage scissors, sharpies, PENS!, a coupon for a shop that sells scrubs and shoes, coffee mug, maybe a clip board, school memorabilia (car sticker, magnet, etc)... I'm graduating in May and I will have a pinning ceremony as well so I just listed stuff I would like to get if I were to be given a goody bag :) lol

Try to get in touch with local hospitals, maybe they will be willing to donate something like pens.

We are doing that!! I have been telling everyone to take pictures all year long! Now I just have to decide what music to play

Aww I'm sure that was very special for the new nurses and for the older nurses! We have a very small budget. We have some money from our nurses club and the school offered to help a little too. I think we will be selling flowers for our guests to buy for the nursing being pinned. I'm hoping to get some donations from local companies for a goodie bag also

My cousin's school had some one close to them put on their pin. So my cousin's young son pinned her with the help of her mother. We all know it takes a village to get through school and that does not cost anything.

Specializes in Critical Care, Clinical Documentation Specialist.

Here's how we were told our ceremony goes. We got to choose a staff speaker and we elected a class speaker who speak first. We also chose 2 faculty members to read for us. The person to be pinned goes up on stage along with their family and they do the pinning. While we are being pinned one of the faculty members reads a statement we wrote on an index card.

We have a committee who are putting together a slide show of pictures taken throughout school. The slideshow will play before and after the ceremony. And, all those pictures will be put into a book (snapfish I think) and available for purchase afterwards. I am hoping they will add the index card writings to a picture of each one of us...I think it would be treasured by everyone.

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Years ago when I graduated we had a large budget due to selling candy and other items while we were students. Over $4000 and this was nealry 20 years ago! We paid for a blues band (Memphis school) to entertain us during a large and well decorated reception. We had flowers and the works. Hardly anyone came to the reception after the pinning. They all wanted to celebrate in their own way with their friends and family. Lesson learned.

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