Pinning ceremonies...

MsBruiser · Oct 26, 2006

Stopnik has made a point I agree with and that it is a free country.
Though I do have a question. What are you doing at so many sorority balls and formals? Just kidding!!!!
I think the point everyone is trying to get across is tradition. As a male or anyother gender student you have a say in what goes on at your pinning ceremony.
Speak up and tell them what you would like to see; you may find that a lot of other students (females included) may not want roses or lamps.
Don't give up on tradition; just bring it into the 21st century. Nightengale has been dead for along time...........

Very good response. I guess you get to the heart of the matter - tradition, which typically sticks in my craw nursing or otherwise (if you want male dumb traditions - try firefighting, it is chock full of those). You also have a good point about trying to modify ceremonies to be up-to-date. As far as Nightengale being dead a long time - that may come as a surpise to some of my instructors, so I better not buck tradition too much!

chuckaye · Oct 26, 2006

well at my LPN cappng cere i had to get on my knees and receive a pin(humm) we have our pinning cere in dec guess i get another pin but i really want to be there for the fact that i (we) have arrived at that point and are now nurses i say just be happy for the moment

piper_for_hire · Oct 27, 2006

I remember my pinning ceremony. Lighting that rediculous candle. Couldn't have been more "girlie" if I was wearing the cap! Just another symptom of a time when nursing was considered a lesser profession.

-S

hlfpnt, BSN, RN · Oct 27, 2006

I understand the lamp is a symbol. But lamps haven't been used for nearly 100 years. Lawyers used to wear white powdered wigs in court. So based on the same logic of "tradition" is it expected to see that in a law school graduation ceremony? No. Because it would look silly. Graduating law students refuse to look silly. They are smart, capable, grown men. Things like the little personalized ceramic lamps and The Cap are silly too, and I wish more graduating nursing students would refuse to look silly and look more like smart, capable, grown women.
It is wonderful to have a ceremony where our efforts are recognized and our accomplishments are lauded. I believe it can be done with a great deal more dignity and respect if we leave out flowers, lamps and caps. They all point towards "the weaker sex" which is a major influence that has crippled nursing's growth as a profession. JMHO.

At the risk of being blasted, I have to reply to this one. For myself, I think losing the traditions is part of what's wrong in todays society. We tend forget the true meanings behind the things we do. Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing, I think her memory deserves a great deal of respect & the pinning ceremony symbolizes the rite of passage into the profession that she worked so hard to develope. Our ceremony almost got canceled & the 6 males in my class fought just as hard as the rest of us to be able to have it. My fellow male students didn't feel "weak" for taking part in the ceremony...they felt proud to be there! Myself, I waited 23 years for that pinning ceremony...I did not feel "silly" -I felt proud & I AM a "smart, capable, grown woman"!

MsBruiser · Oct 27, 2006

At the risk of being blasted, I have to reply to this one. For myself, I think losing the traditions is part of what's wrong in todays society. We tend forget the true meanings behind the things we do. Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing, I think her memory deserves a great deal of respect & the pinning ceremony symbolizes the rite of passage into the profession that she worked so hard to develope. Our ceremony almost got canceled & the 6 males in my class fought just as hard as the rest of us to be able to have it. My fellow male students didn't feel "weak" for taking part in the ceremony...they felt proud to be there! Myself, I waited 23 years for that pinning ceremony...I did not feel "silly" -I felt proud & I AM a "smart, capable, grown woman"!

Why would you be blasted? It's just your opinion...

hlfpnt, BSN, RN · Oct 27, 2006

I suppose I thought this because that does happen sometimes.

jov · Oct 28, 2006

got the low down on our pinning ceremony,

dress is professional-dressy, i.e. skirts and blouses or nice suits

speeches, etc.

each person crosses the stage and is pinned by the chair of the School of Nursing

when you step off the stage, your family can meet you there and give you flowers or whatever

whew. No lamps, symbolic roses or caps. whew.

jov · Oct 28, 2006

My fellow students of the masculine persuasion didn't even mind receiving their long-stemmed red roses. They just gave them to their wives after the ceremony.

I wonder what the nursing students would say if they were offered a fine Havana cigar instead of roses this year...after all, they can just give them to their husbands after the ceremony...

CTRNTOBE · Oct 30, 2006

I think that we students should be giving our wives and husbands a flower for all the attitude we gave them from being burnt out, missed dinners and late nights helping us study for the last 2 years.

Hope everyone remembers that one of the greatest things you have are your memories and the pinning ceremony will be a memory for life.

cinja · Nov 1, 2006

Your profile states that you are a nursing student. Are you pre-nursing or just haven't learned the significance of the lamp in your program yet? I am not trying to be "smart" with you. I ask because this is your response to my comment that the lamp is not a part of a law students graduation ceremony; however, I will answer the question. One, Florence Nightingale, the "lady with the lamp," was not a lawyer. Two, it is a symbol of the care and devotion the graduating Nurse promises to give to her/his patients. Pinnings began in the 1830's and the lighting of the lamp started in the 1860's. That is a pretty rich tradition that I will be proud to be a part of in 2007.

In todays world of nursing do you think a pair of Nikes as a gift would be more appropriate since we have to run to each patient to keep up.

MsBruiser · Nov 1, 2006

I appreciate everybody's opinion on this!

I got the lowdown - there are some lamps and candles involved. Dress in scrubs. In fact, the instructor admitted guys may not feel totally comfortable. But she stressed we will be so proud, etc, it really won't matter. I made her promise no Celine Dion songs nor "I Believe I Can Fly" playing in the background. The class laughed. I prefer "Dreams" by Van Halen...

So at the end of the day - yeah I may feel a little goofy, but there is no way I would miss it! Heck, that is what I am working so hard for...I like how each person gets to write a few words about how they want to thank, which they read as you get pinned and cross the stage. I will ask my wife to get me a cigar instead of roses - excellent advice I received from this board. While the ceremonial aspect of pinning will never be to my liking, fortunately my opinion is not the only one that counts!

jb2u, ASN, RN · Nov 2, 2006

In todays world of nursing do you think a pair of Nikes as a gift would be more appropriate since we have to run to each patient to keep up.

Well, if you mean as a gift from your family then Yes; however, if you mean as a "gift" in place of a pin and lamp then No. I do not view the pin and lamp as a gift (ie: something giving). Instead, I view them as something earned. I do not view my diploma as a gift. It is something that I worked hard to achieve, right? Well, so are the pin and lamp. Just like the diploma is a symbol of the education that you received, it is not the education itself. And so, the pin and lamp are symbols of my achievement and a commitment to the values of the profession.