Graduation, Traditional or Not?

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:nurse: Hi, I recently graduated from LPN school. Our ceremony was very traditional, complete with the white nurses cap, white starched below the knee length dress, pinning, and of course the lit lantern when we recited the nurses pledge. The director of the program also gave a brief history of the nurses cap, the lantern and the pinning and why it is all incorporated into the commencement exercises. A friend of mine who was an LPN and graduated last year with an ADN told me that she felt her graduation from LPN school was so much better because of the fact that it was so traditional and only for graduating nurses. I would like to know how everyone else graduated and for those of you that did bridge over to a higher degree, what were the differences, if any?

Thanks for any and all comments!

:nurse:

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Specializes in Critical Care.

When I graduated from my ADN program we had to wear all white, nurses caps and we had a candle lighting ceremony. I am about to graduate from a BSN program but I am choosing not to attend the ceremony.

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Pompom,Why are you not attending? If it's personal you don't have to reply.

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Specializes in NICU, High-Risk L&D, IBCLC.

I went the traditional BSN route. We participated in the school-wide graduation ceremony with caps and gowns, and that was it. No pinning ceremony, no all-white uniform, no pictures with the nurse's cap. I was fine with all of it because I was just happy to be graduating!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

For my LPN, I did attend the pinning - don't even remember it - that was in 1992 in Las Vegas. Did the ADN thing in 1994 and we had some kind of reception, but not really a ceremony. Then, did a BSN in 2004 and didn't go to the ceremony, did an MSN in 2005 and went to the college graduation (my first) and then did a post-MSN CNS certificate in 2006 and didn't go to any ceremony either.

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Specializes in Emergency.

White knee-length dresses, nurse's caps and lanterns?!?! Wow. Personally, I wouldn't go. I'm not into the traditional nurses thing, and would feel 100% uncomfortable being a part of that. A little too dramatic for me. My graduation ceremony will be a general one with the university: caps, gowns, diplomas. Our nursing class is having their own ceremony too, but I don't think I'm going. I was never really felt a part of the class while I was in it, and I'm not going to pretend that we're all the best of buds on the last day. I'm going to be doing the university grad, then celebrating the end of a long four years with my family and friends.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I didn't attend my LPN graduation ceremony but it was the traditional style. Have no plans to attend any future ones either.

Congratulations to you Tara!!

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Thanks Jules! Graduating felt so good, I can't belive it's over! For now anyway until I graduate from CC with an ADN.

Anyone out there who did graduate in a traditional manner and actually enjoyed it?

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