I'm posting this in the general discussion rather than the student discussion, as I want to hear from people who were successful in doing something like this.
I'm the president of my ADN class, graduating this May. We have 17 students, 14 of them women. Our faculty is, almost entirely, *extremely* conservative, and the school is in a very small town. Our pinning ceremony is held in a church, and has pretty significant christian religious overtones, which I have a problem with; I think it's an inappropriate blurring of the line between church and state (this is a state-funded community college), and I've had a few students express discomfort with having the ceremony in this church. By the way- it's only held there for faculty preference; there's plenty of room on campus.
My main concern, though, is the attire for the ceremony. We're being forced to wear white dresses and caps. Now, we have to wear the caps in most clinical rotations, which is enough of an indignity (people think we're kidding, that other staff members are playing practical jokes on them by sending students in the room with caps on...it's nauseating, but I've tried to change this with no success). But I think it's ludicrous to insist we wear them at the pinning ceremony. It's *our* event, not the faculty's. In my opinion, the requirement that women wear dresses is inappropriately sexist, and from a logistical standpoint, *nobody* should be spending money on a white dress that will gather dust forever, when we have the expense of the NCLEX looming in our immediate future.
We have one student who wants to wear a white dress, and the others are adamantly opposed to it. I'm looking for ways to approach the program director with alternatives...I think that I need to have some suggestions, or he's just going to shut it down completely. Personally, this issue is important enough to me that I won't attend the ceremony if we have to wear the dresses. I know of at least 2 other women who plan to do the same thing.
My current plan is to have a meeting with the director and my vice-president to discuss the feelings our class has about the issue, and suggest a couple of alternatives- wearing nice, 'dressy' outfits, or wearing our clinical uniform (white smock and lab coat with navy pants). I'd like to hear from anyone else who had to address this issue, and how you resolved it. I'm also open to any suggestions *anyone* has...this director is extremely old-fashioned (he said he'd have us all wearing black stockings and orthopedic shoes, if he had his way), but he also respects me *specifically* because I'm confident and outspoken. By the way, if this were not the prevailing feeling of the other class members, I'd just skip the ceremony...I'm treating it like a class issue because I feel that's my role as the class president.
Also, please don't try to convince me we should be wearing the dresses. I don't really give a hoot about someone else's traditions that encourage disrespect and sexism, so the 'traditional' nurse's uniform is something I refuse to ever put on my body. I find the caps degrading enough...I am a medical professional in training, and there's nothing more irritating than having a doctor or nurse or patient say, 'how *cute*!!' when I walk into a room. If you disagree with me, I certainly respect your opinion, but I am absolutely certain of my position on this subject.
some ppl in our class have also said they wouldn't mind just not going to graduation. this is my first college graduation, so i'll be thrilled to go. but, our school has a policy that you have to go to graduation. if you want to not go, you have to ask permission from the president of the college. and this is the whole college, not just the nursing school!
i found that odd, and wondered what they'd do if you didnt show up!
Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.
My high school had a policy that if you didn't go to _baccalaureate_, you weren't allowed to go to graduation. At 17 I was too young and naive to push it, but I was peeved to say the least (I was already a staunch atheist at that point.)
Personally, at this point, being forced to attend my graduation in a church with a religiously oriented ceremony would be more than enough to keep me home on graduation day.
I suggest as others did: appraoch the administration with your tasteful, alternative plan, and if they insist on retaining this "tradition" (I confess the whites and the caps don't bother me in the least - I would enjoy that part - but not the orthopedic shoes lol) then decide whether or not you want to attend. The class president's absence would certainly be a statement.
While I'm extremely proud of my accomplishments- this is my 3rd career, and I've had to fight through much more resistance on this one than on the first two- for me, there are two days I will feel like celebrating: the day I get my first RN job, and the day I receive my passing NCLEX-RN score. I don't put much stock in ceremony in the first place, and I've walked out on things before when they violated my ethics and values. I will, however, pursue this, because the ceremony is important to many of my classmates.
You said it. I did not buy a pin. I did not attend a pinning ceremony. I did not attend commencement. I worked hard to achieve good grades in nursing school, but in the end, all that really matteed to me was how much I knew and getting my license.
Anyway, I don't have any advice to offer, but just wanted to say that must have been horrible to have to wear a cap! And I don't think it is really proper for a state funded school to be holding the ceremony in a church and for it to have religious overtones. It looks like you have your work cut out for you.
Frankly, that school could be setting themselves up for a big lawsuit by their local ACLU, which they would most likely lose. What century are they living in anyways? And I'm no fan of the ACLU, but really, how disrespectful to people of diverse beliefs to have the graduation a church!
I cannot beleve that one school insisted that the student attend graduation! What a bunch of contol freaks! Frankly, I can't imagine that that would stand up in court either, if someone was feeling fiesty and had a lawyer.
As far as the nun/nurse comment, I think nuns were usually associated with Catholic hospitals. They did a lot of good and turned out a lot of great nurses. I don't understand the need by some here to belittle nurses of yesteryear, anyways. They worked just as hard, or harder, than us modern nurses, were motivated professionals, And talk about controlling programs! I had an aunt by marriage, now deceased, who went to nursing school in the 30's. You had to live at the school, be unmarried, weren't allowed to date, etc. It wasn't a religious hospital, as far as I recall. She was an awesome, strongwilled woman who had an interesting career. People in those days had a lot more humility and respect for authority and tradition, IMO.
Hey, maybe everyone ought to wear matching scrubs with bright balloons and teddy bears on them! That might show everyone how dedicated to professionalism us modern nurses are!:balloons:
As a December grad I have no way of knowing what will happen in May because they treat us like mushrooms until April. Meanwhile, no matter what we asked for, the school of nursing would not agree to give us any consideration in December. The school line is "one school of nursing, one graduation". On the other hand we do not have a "pinning". Traditionally the night before the college graduation, the school of nursing has a "recognition" ceremony. Nursing pins run anywhere from $59 for small sterling silver to $285 for large 14K gold, with white gold, and gold filled in between. The day school grads are not allowed to buy the smaller size though, but I don't know how the bookstore would check if you told them you were an evening grad to get the smaller pin. Students complained in years past about the cost of the pin, hence the "recognition" ceremony.
We did our own little ceremony, kinda sweet, kinda cheesy, with our families at a local pizza restaurant that has a back room and buffet option. Cash bar. Hand made caps, and popularity contests included, I heard it was quite nice. (Of course, I had to work and missed it.)
Who says you have to go to the pinning that the school has decided must be in the church? You paid for the pin, they have to give it to you. Make your own ceremony if you can't get them to change or get enough student support and just boycott the religious event.
Consider that possibly there is a lesson to be learned, what about humility, while wearing a cap that announces you are a nurse perhaps you should show pride that you are becoming a professional and you should learn to be looked upon differently. Perhaps, thew white dresses are to honor a tradition tah nursing is something you should be proud of and shine while doing. Perhaps the faculty just wants a good laugh after taking crap from all of you for the last 2 years LOL!!!
I probably shouldn't be posting because I feel that usually traditions have their purpose and yes they are always subject to change because your traditions aren't their traditions, but you know I was Proud to walk down the isle in My white Nursing uniform that I wore to all my clincals and carry my little lamp and recite the nurses oath. I felt it was a right of passage and I felt I deserved it!
Well said. That is why I will not object to wearing a white dress and cap, it is a well deserved rite of passage.
Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.
I applaud you for being a great advocate for your fellow nursing students. They've got a great class president!
I suggest you collaborate with the other students to come up with a written proposal outlining your wishes for the ceremony. After all, it is supposed to be something to celebrate *your* success--the students' input should be considered.
Since the students feel that strongly about it, if you can't get the facility to take your class' desires into consideration, you just may have to skip the pinning ceremony and stick with the college's graduation ceremony. Your family & friends will still get to help celebrate your graduation, and it will send a strong message to the nursing faculty and it could prompt a change that will benefit future graduates. Or, as another alternative, the students could come up with their own pinning ceremony elsewhere.
Good luck! I'm interested to know how this will turn out.
Agreed! Come up with an alternate written plan that shows input from the entire class. We plan our own pinning ceremony and collect our own funds. There are a couple of non-negotiables but what we wear is not one of them.
Frankly, that school could be setting themselves up for a big lawsuit by their local ACLU, which they would most likely lose. What century are they living in anyways? And I'm no fan of the ACLU, but really, how disrespectful to people of diverse beliefs to have the graduation a church!
I cannot beleve that one school insisted that the student attend graduation! What a bunch of contol freaks! Frankly, I can't imagine that that would stand up in court either, if someone was feeling fiesty and had a lawyer.
As far as the nun/nurse comment, I think nuns were usually associated with Catholic hospitals. They did a lot of good and turned out a lot of great nurses. I don't understand the need by some here to belittle nurses of yesteryear, anyways. They worked just as hard, or harder, than us modern nurses, were motivated professionals, And talk about controlling programs! I had an aunt by marriage, now deceased, who went to nursing school in the 30's. You had to live at the school, be unmarried, weren't allowed to date, etc. It wasn't a religious hospital, as far as I recall. She was an awesome, strongwilled woman who had an interesting career. People in those days had a lot more humility and respect for authority and tradition, IMO.
Hey, maybe everyone ought to wear matching scrubs with bright balloons and teddy bears on them! That might show everyone how dedicated to professionalism us modern nurses are!:balloons:
First Bravo for sticking up for our past counter parts, just because Nuns became nurses doesn't meant they were less professional and most likely more professionall and for that matter holisitic before holisitic care was even a theory.
Catholic Nursing schools DO NOT take only nuns I work at a Catholice facility that used to be a school and many of the nurses that have been there for >20years actually attended school there. They are all very competent, professional, intelligent and caring nurses.
Yes by all means why shouldn't we make sure that the rest of the world feels like we are just trained monkeys wearing Teddy Bears, and Balloons on our scrubs.
Tradition has it's purposes I believe. I feel that one of those purposes is to help students understand the gravity of the nursing profession, some things should not be frivolous, some things should be conducted with an air of dignity and propriety.
As for being held in a Church I guess that could be construed as wrong by some but if you are graduating from a nursing program you should be mature enough to be able to separate your beleif's from those of others and you should also be open minded enough to be able to conform to the will of others on such small points afterall you may have Pts in the future that will ask you to pray with them, will you turn your back on them, IF you are secure in your own belief why should just entering a Church or attending a ceremnoy in a Church be so offensive, many people who are devout Christians go to many ceremonies in many other places than Churches and do not make it out to be a big conspiracy designed to undermine their beliefs.
I graduated from a Catholic facility that was steeped in many years of tradition. While the school was certainly progressive, no one seemed to take such umbrage as some have here at taking a nod to where we came from.
I never got to wear my graduate cap, but I treasure it...it reminds me of those that went before me.
Tradition has it's purposes I believe. I feel that one of those purposes is to help students understand the gravity of the nursing profession, some things should not be frivolous, some things should be conducted with an air of dignity and propriety.
As for being held in a Church I guess that could be construed as wrong by some but if you are graduating from a nursing program you should be mature enough to be able to separate your beleif's from those of others and you should also be open minded enough to be able to conform to the will of others on such small points afterall you may have Pts in the future that will ask you to pray with them, will you turn your back on them, IF you are secure in your own belief why should just entering a Church or attending a ceremnoy in a Church be so offensive, many people who are devout Christians go to many ceremonies in many other places than Churches and do not make it out to be a big conspiracy designed to undermine their beliefs.
Bravo.
The italics are mine. Taking offense to all representations of beliefs other than my own would be a huge problem for me, as my husband's family is of another faith than mine. Somehow, we manage to conduct family celebrations, marriages, funerals and other events. Imagine!
I agree -- a little humility and energy devoted to something other than taking umbrage at traditions just because they are traditional might be in order for all of us now & then.
To the OP -- if it is truly the collective consensus of your class that nearly all aspects of the planned ceremony are distasteful to all of you, I agree that coming up with acceptable alternatives and meeting with your program director is appropriate. You should probably be prepared to give a little to get a little, as the saying goes ...
Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatric, Behavioral Health.
Yes, I agree too...what a fiesty bunch.
I brought up the nurse-nun issue because that is a historical fact which did shape how and what a nurse looked like and dressed. Over the years, the habit gave way to the white dress and bib/apron and head dress, then the white uniform and cap, then the white uniform. The military also had a similar influence on the look of the nurse. Scrubs of today really initiated the push from this tradition. However, I would like to emphasize that there is nothing wrong about tradition. Nothing at all. But, I was trying to answer...what I thought I heard from the original poster...was the desire of her class to break away from the tradition. Nothing wrong with that either. I formulated my responses to her VERY formally if it hadn't been noticed already. I wanted to provide her a certain mindset when she approached the deciding school chair. The mindset was to present oneself as a professional who has her rationale for change with the backing of her peers. Why? Traditions die hard. If this is the wall she plans to confront, then being professional about it is the key. Being emotional and reactive may backfire when making such a request. The nurse-nun was brought up because of its symbolism...especially since the event was going to be held at a church, which I believe was counter to what her peers wanted. And yes, nurses can indeed be humble and professional at the same time. This is why I encouraged her and her peers to discuss and collaborate the issue with the chair...not to stomp off and not attend just because one does not get one's way. Doing this serves no purpose. It is also a waste of energy. She was asking how to effect some change in an environment where change is difficult. This is what she was asking, nothing more. Is this not what we as current nurses face day to day in our own environments? So, as a result, my stance was to approach her very formally and very professionally. There was not any intent on my part in slamming tradition, nuns, the Catholic church, or the dedication/hard work that nuns or religious performed in history or in present day. I needed to say that for folks to hear. Oh, and by the way...I'm an active Catholic.
Sorry, I found the general tone of some of the responses as condescending to those of us who opted to incorporate traditional aspects into our graduation.
Thanks again to those who are able to see that some tradition isn't necessarily an evil thing.
Somehow, we manage to conduct family celebrations, marriages, funerals and other events. Imagine!
HappyNurse2005, RN
1,640 Posts
some ppl in our class have also said they wouldn't mind just not going to graduation. this is my first college graduation, so i'll be thrilled to go. but, our school has a policy that you have to go to graduation. if you want to not go, you have to ask permission from the president of the college. and this is the whole college, not just the nursing school!
i found that odd, and wondered what they'd do if you didnt show up!
rose