Capping Ceremony

OneChattyNurse · Sep 19, 2004

we had a capping and pinning ceremony. one of our instructors placed our caps on us, then another one placed our pins. we had a student sing a song (hero by mariah carey) and a few other students spoke. we also lit little florence nightinggale lamps with candles in them.

prior to the ceremony, we handed out programs that we had printed up outlining the evening's highlights and a list of all of the graduating class.

i graduated in december of 1993, so i am sure things are done differently now. but i thought i would give you some insight into what my ceremony was like!

good luck and congrats to you!

Timora · Sep 19, 2004

Thank you so much for the information. :)

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2004

If no one wears caps anymore, why have a capping ceremony? In days gone by, each school had their own individual caps and you could look at someone and tell where they went to school by their cap. But that was in the days before there were so many men in nursing. What do you do for the men in your class? do they get a cap as well?? I can certainly understand the pinning ceremony, but not the capping.

Timora · Sep 20, 2004

The capping ceremony is also a symbolic measure of being half way through the program. For the guys, we are getting a real nice ballcap. Eventhough, you don't use caps anymore, it is more for the symbolic measure. Plus, this is the schools first nursing program and our class wants to have that special moment in their lives.

kat911 · Sep 20, 2004

You said just a capping ceremony, we did capping of white cap, no stripe at 3mo into our program and then capped with one stripe at end of first year, of course this was 25 years ago. Upon graduation we got our 2nd stripe and got pinned as well. The capping ceremony should be what ever you want it to be. If your group wants someone to sing, go for it. We did not take the nightingale pledge until graduation so you might want to take that into consideration. Good luck.

LadyMadonna · Sep 20, 2004

If no one wears caps anymore, why have a capping ceremony? In days gone by, each school had their own individual caps and you could look at someone and tell where they went to school by their cap. But that was in the days before there were so many men in nursing. What do you do for the men in your class? do they get a cap as well?? I can certainly understand the pinning ceremony, but not the capping.

When I was doing clinicals in the ER (it is a really small town, not much goes on) we were passing time by and the ER doctor started talking about how he wished the nurses still dressed appropriately in their white dresses and nursing caps. Another nurse told him this wasn't the Florence Nightingale days, nurses had come a long way and did a lot more than Florence ever though about, and she wasn't about to go wearing antiquated nurses caps. This doctor begged to differ, and reminded us that Florence Nightingale likely saw and did a lot more in the battle fields than most of the spoiled whiney pampered nurses of today would ever do.

I didn't say anything, but wondered if he doesn't think much of nurses today? :rolleyes:

P_RN, ADN, RN · Sep 20, 2004

The ceremony can be whatever you make it. After all you are the FIRST class so you set the precedent.

Kays Caps http://www.kayscaps.com/ has a website and you can get almost any kind you want for around $10. I haven't seen my cap in 20+ years , I wish I know what happened. Ours was pretty generic though.

I like the lamps too (although those aren't really the kind Florence used). You could carry them down the aisle and light your candle from one source on the podium...you know "from one, many."

A program is as close as your word processor and a few bucks at the copier.

A lot of places required a graduation/capping uniform.....I always thought that was a total waste of money.

The guys getting ball caps sounds good. Several programs I've read about do that or do the scrubby type hat with RN on it.

Go ahead and get excited. You are entitled.

Timora · Sep 20, 2004

I thank everyone for all the information. Our class is very excited about having a capping ceremony. Out of 30 students only 3 didn't want one. The capping ceremony will happen in May of 2005 and our pinning ceremony will happen in May of 2006.

The main reason for the capping ceremony is the symbolic measure, but we also like the fact that we do get to set the percedent for years to come. Granted I may be in an era where we don't wear the caps anymore, but I enjoy the past history of the capping ceremony and can't wait until we do. I want our capping ceremony and our pinning ceremony to WOW people. I am proud of our small town area being able to have their own nursing program and want to make it as memorable for the school and for the community. :)

I got some information from Kay's Caps already and the one we were looking at wasn't a bad price. They seem to respond to e-mails in a timely manner and that is one thing I like. One of my my biggest pet peeves is when someone doesn't respond to e-mail or doesn't call you back. To me that is a sign of poor business and usually stay away. Kay's Caps have been wonderful so far and seem to want to help.

Anyway, after all my babbling on, I just want to say Thanx everyone :)

OneChattyNurse · Sep 20, 2004

again, i graduated in december of 1993. during clinicals we were required to wear our caps. of course, we were the only ones that had them on...the patients got a kick out of it! after we completed class, we put on a blue stripe.

Timora · Sep 20, 2004

:)