Pinning Vent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jen2 · Apr 8, 2004

Oh yes, actually just the other day the nursing dean sent us a letter. We are not having a pinning ceremony, despite the petition. We will graduate with the 1,000 other students at the college, and when we walk off the stage one of our nursing instructors will be standing there and she will then pin us.

We all have a huge problem with this, mainly it is because tradition has been broken with our class. We will not be able to give a speach to all of those who supported us, and my biggest problem with it is this: By no means what so ever do I think I am better than anyone else but, the 1,000 other people graduating are not held to the same standard as the nursing students are ie waiting on lists for years to even get accepted and having a higher grading scale, so why should we be graduating with them? We are just going to blend in with the Human Development, Arts, English, and Business majors. Sure we are still getting our pin (off stage), but the whole thing just disgusts me. Alot of students have decided to not attend at all in protest, however, I will be the first one in my family to ever graduate college, and it's a huge deal.

We are probably just going to have our own ceremony, aside from the whole college graduation.

Shed13911 · Apr 8, 2004

I am so sorry to hear that you are not able to have a seperate pinning ceremony. That is something ALL nurses remember many years later. It is sad that the college does not believe that you should have that right to have the ceremony. I wish I had some better advice for you but I think other nursing students should be made aware that they too will not be able to have it. When the nursing student applicants numbers drop significantly and it makes a diffenrence in the pocketbook, maybe they will rethink :kiss cancelling future ceremonies. However, sadly, it will be too late for your class. I wish you good luck and (((((((((((((HUGS to YOU)))))))))))))). :kiss :kiss

Carolanne · Apr 8, 2004

If you're not graduating for another year, maybe there's still time to turn things around and have your pinning. Are there other nurses and doctors perhaps at the hospitals where you have done clinicals who might be willing to sign a letter of support for your class, encouraging the ceremony? And gee, wouldn't your local newspaper be interested in that piece of news ... not very good publicity for the school. Maybe if you get enough people on your side (those who have a little influence :) ) the dean will reconsider. I hope so. Good luck!!

Katnip, RN · Apr 8, 2004

I'd call the local newspaper and ask them if they'd be interested in a human interest story. Give the report some background of the traditions of nursing graduation and how many, many schools are undermining and eroding those traditions.

I talked with a retired instructor from Johns Hopkins and told her how disappointing it was not to have a capping ceremony at UMB. They got rid of caps because nobody makes them anymore. Most students wanted the capping ceremony.

This instructor said they got rid of caping at JH and not too long ago almost got rid of pinning. The faculty had to fight tooth and nail to save it. She said she wouldn't be surprised if they did eventually get rid of it.

I always thought of it as getting a diploma makes you a college graduate. Getting your pin makes you a nurse.

LauraF, RN, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN · Apr 8, 2004

The pinning ceremony has been a round for a very long time. It is a tradition. I wonder how your instructors would have felt if someone attempted to take away their pinning ceremony? :uhoh21:

CardioTrans, BSN, RN · Apr 8, 2004

When I graduated RN school, our nursing school refused to have a pinning ceremony as well. Soooo, being the head strong class that we were........ one of my classmates arranged to have it a private one through her church. We all pitched in money to have invitations made and sent them to our relatives. We even sent invitations to all of our instructors. One came and read our cards that we all had written thanking our loved ones for their sacrifice while we were in school. Our Dean replied in writing that "it is not an official school function so I will not attend". Our 2nd in charge declined as well. The only instructors that came were 3 part time clinical instructors. The church was packed with family and loved ones and each of us from the class. One of the clinical instructors read our cards, one pinned us and the other took candid pictures. The classmate that borrowed her church got the help of a total stranger to everyone but her to videotape it and had copies made for all of us. We all brought appetizers and the whole class went out to dinner afterwards. If you want it bad enough GO FOR IT.... it can be done. The day of the "college" graduation, after the degrees were handed out, the ones who declined refused to speak to any of us. However, with the next graduating class they had an official pinning 3 days before the college. Guess we proved our point, huh?

Mandylpn · Apr 8, 2004

Just when did this go out of "fashion" anyway? You would think the older instructors would want to do it. I know caps have not been around here in a long time. But you can buy nice pins with RN, LPN, LVN on the internet. Go figure. I would be mad too, my school doesn't do it either. :uhoh3: :uhoh3:

AmyLiz · Apr 8, 2004

I believe Kay's caps still makes nursing caps, actually. A local LTC facility still has their nurses where caps & I believe they get them through Kay's.

RedSox33RN · Apr 9, 2004

When I graduated RN school, our nursing school refused to have a pinning ceremony as well. Soooo, being the head strong class that we were........ one of my classmates arranged to have it a private one through her church. We all pitched in money to have invitations made and sent them to our relatives. We even sent invitations to all of our instructors. One came and read our cards that we all had written thanking our loved ones for their sacrifice while we were in school. Our Dean replied in writing that "it is not an official school function so I will not attend". Our 2nd in charge declined as well. The only instructors that came were 3 part time clinical instructors. The church was packed with family and loved ones and each of us from the class. One of the clinical instructors read our cards, one pinned us and the other took candid pictures. The classmate that borrowed her church got the help of a total stranger to everyone but her to videotape it and had copies made for all of us. We all brought appetizers and the whole class went out to dinner afterwards. If you want it bad enough GO FOR IT.... it can be done. The day of the "college" graduation, after the degrees were handed out, the ones who declined refused to speak to any of us. However, with the next graduating class they had an official pinning 3 days before the college. Guess we proved our point, huh?

What a wonderful thing to do! Good for you guys! Where there is a will, there is a way, and I believe this is one tradition that should stand. Nursing has changed so much over so many decades and even centuries, but this is one thing I think every nurse should have. I have very close friends who had their pinning 30+ years ago, and still recall it fondly. I couldn't imagine missing out on that when my time comes.

Energizer Bunny · Apr 9, 2004

I'd call the local newspaper and ask them if they'd be interested in a human interest story. Give the report some background of the traditions of nursing graduation and how many, many schools are undermining and eroding those traditions.

This sounds like a fabulous idea!!! Do you have time to implement it?