Attention New Grads- Pinning Ceremony Question

86toronado, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2009

Our ceremony is called the White Tea ceremony. I don't know if we drink it, anoint ourselves in it, or what though. I'll get back to you when I do...

caliotter3 · Apr 22, 2009

My daughter's class officers did everything for their ceremony. They had lamps and candles, speakers, I think a little reception, a program. I know there were flowers, but I don't know if they were part of the ceremony or if family members brought them. Of course, you should have someone read a piece about good ol' Flo and the story behind nursing and the lamp and such. And they gave gifts to nursing instructors. When I get a chance, I'll ask my daughter if I left anything out.

kcksk · Apr 22, 2009

Check and see what past years have done. There may be a tradition with your program you will want to include. For us, we have a guest speaker, present each student with a rose after they are pinned, then everyone says the pledge together. Everyone wears white (either new scrubs or a dress). The whole ceremony is just over an hour. Hope that helps.

mnf626 · Apr 23, 2009

We have a student from our class speak and we also choose a professor to speak at our pinning ceremony. After the pinning there is a slide show of pictures throughout our four years in nursing school that some of the people in our class put together. Besides the tiny reception after that is the extent of our pinning ceremony.

UVA Grad Nursing · Apr 23, 2009

We have an outside speaker (chosen by the graduating class), student names are called and are pinned by the Dean, and the class officers present all graduates with a rose. We dispensed with lamp/candles/flames a few years ago (fire marshall concerns). The ceremony ends with all RNs in attendance (graduates, faculty, and family members who are RNs) reading the International Council of Nursing pledge. We invite the RN-BSN graduates to take part in pinning too.

We hold pinning in the evening before graduation. We usually have 500+ attending (graduating class is a little over 100).

a_n_atbc73 · Apr 24, 2009

we all gathered and gave a plaque with our names to the Nursing Director, the most influential teachers and the class president. along with bouquet of flowers to other staff members.

rence01 · Apr 24, 2009

hi, in our pinning ceremony dec 08, we did the following:-

- we all provided photos taken during our time in nursing, made a slide show..and we all voted for the song to go all with it.

- we voted our outstanding faculty member...and bought a gife and flowered for him.(one student presented the gift)(

-we voted most outstanding sutdent and did the same.(one faculty member presented gift)

-we choose another student to give a speech, regarding Flo.nightgale, and nursing.

-one faculty member whom we choose, gave speech..and us as a class...we had her as an instructor for two semesters.

-One student sang a song....

_last but not least ofcourse we lit were pinned,lit our lamps and said our nursing vow..

Best of luck hope this help, there are many other things you as a class can do, but also the faculty member incharge of the ceremony should be able to help you better.

rence01

Ready2GradMay09, ASN, BSN, MSN, NP · Apr 24, 2009

Thank you guys so much for your help, these are some really great ideas. You have given me a lot to work with. It seems like a lot of the ceremonies share some of the same trends- speaker, lamps, pinning, etc. We were planning on including a picture slide show, and I like the idea of presenting the instructors with an award. Keep the ideas coming!

chilly2008 · Apr 24, 2009

From what you have written, I suppose it must be joint effort of whole class, my class also would be having a pinning ceremony in couple of months. It is just a private affair of few handful of students from class whom the class representative knows. She and her friends would be organizing everything and the rest of class is totally uninvolved. The rest of the class would be sitting there not knowing what to do. Even most of the teachers know these students only. The whole lighting lamp,singing song is a big show off event for these students only. The rest of class looks like bunch of strangers sitting there and making fool of themselves.

I hope your group is not like that. :madface: :yawn:

Music in My Heart · Apr 26, 2009

Singing songs? Lighting candles?

Ugh.

This is a profession that we're entering here, not a sorority. I could do without the kumbaya stuff.

Still not sure exactly what our pinning will be but it's outdoors during the day so I'm sure we'll pass on the candles and I KNOW we're not singing. Each of us will be pinned by the person of choice. I'll probably choose my kid but considering having my favorite clinical instructor.

trepinCT · Apr 26, 2009

Singing songs? Lighting candles?
Ugh.
This is a profession that we're entering here, not a sorority. I could do without the kumbaya stuff.
Still not sure exactly what our pinning will be but it's outdoors during the day so I'm sure we'll pass on the candles and I KNOW we're not singing. Each of us will be pinned by the person of choice. I'll probably choose my kid but considering having my favorite clinical instructor.

While it is a profession, there is nothing wrong with a ceremony . We have been planning ours, we have a couple of the instructors who are class advisors and we pretty much planned it based on what was done in the past. We have a keynote speaker, the director of our program , president of college all speak..class speakers take a 'trip down memory lane" type of speech and this year we have included a slide show of our 2 years..faculty pins us..flowers given to speakers and dignitaries, programs made up..lots of student volunteered their talents to donate some of these things..we have been raising money for charities and pinning the last year and a half so the ceremony has cost us about 15-20 dollars per student( about 65 in class0..this includes faculty gift which this year will be a single donation to the allied health fund so that items may be purchased as needed for classroom and labs. No superlatives as far as favorite teacher( we voted it down..seemed high schoolish). We are fortunate that we were able secure a hall large enough that we are not limited in our guest list..but no candles allowed, but the concert hall is letting us use thier batter operated candles..and we will do the nightingale pledge..