Pinning Ceremony

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Jan 30, 2018

I plan our school's pinning ceremonies. We place a table at the front of the room with a school-branded table covering, floral arrangement and pins/ Nightingale lamp.

Students sit in the front rows. They wear either all whites -OR- their school uniforms (they vote and the choice applies to all students) I have heard of schools going to business wear, but you are really rolling the dice there!

The program consists of remarks from clinical partners (CNO), the school's chancellor and the program director/ dean.

A student speaker is chosen to represent the graduates and address the group.

One of the faculty presents the history of the nursing pin and profession.

Students are pinned by the person of their choice. We place the pin on a short length of ribbon for the pinner to attach with a large corsage-type pin (less fumbling that way)

After everyone is pinned, we invite ALL nurses in the audience plus the grads to stand and recite the Nightingale Pledge- which is projected on the screen, as well as printed in the program.

We then close the program and invite everyone to the reception (cupcakes and bottled water) A group picture is taken at this point before the group disperses.