So I live 5 hours away from home. I called a hospital from back home and they informed me of an open house that's on Thursday. My pinning ceremony is on Friday :/
Honestly, I'm not crazy about going, but I want to go only because everyone else is going except for like 3 other people. I feel weird for not going, but more importantly, I would feel like I would regret it.
I will be graduating with an Associate's degree in nursing, and even as a new grad with a BSN work is hard to find. What I'm saying is I may not get the job if I do go home for this open house (a day after my final exam-I still haven't even packed up), but I don't want to regret not going to the open house because this is the hospital that I want to work at, and the city I want to live in!!!
My question is, what would you do if you were in my situation?
You see, that's the thing- I don't want to miss the pinning ceremony b.c it's closure to me-Seeing classmates I guess, but also seeing the professors smile as they pin you (I think we're getting assigned pin-partners, lol) with that "You made it"-look on their faces..it is going to be a special moment.
You see, that's the thing- I don't want to miss the pinning ceremony b.c it's closure to me-Seeing classmates I guess, but also seeing the professors smile as they pin you (I think we're getting assigned pin-partners, lol) with that "You made it"-look on their faces..it is going to be a special moment.
It was really neat getting to see my favorite instructors and have them kind of send us off into the world. The one who emceed had a really nice speech that totally made me tear up.
I would be going to the open house. I didn't know anyone still had a "pinning ceremony". Do you take the TARDIS to school and back each day to the 1960s? For me, nursing is a science based profession requiring a broad backgroung in general science as well as specific education focused on the role of the nurse in patient care. I have never seen where a "pin" came into that educational pathway. It reminds me of some of the ceremonies associated with the transition of Novices through thier Novitiate training to thier Vows in the Catholic religious vocations. True, nursing owes a lot to these dedicated individuals for, if nothing else, providing an image for patient care provider other than that of a prostitute. "Working girls" were often used as bedside caregivers before science intruded on nursing care. I however have no intrest in a vow of celibacy or a career in the other direction. I feel the "pinning ceremony" dosen't sit well with my image of nursing as a science based career not a "calling". Getting a leg up on my career would be a greater priority for me. Keep in mind- you are only going to have one "Pinning" but MANY, MANY job interviews in your nursing career. If this ceremony is important to you don't skip it. I never attended mine because of the reasons I stated above, but it dosen't mean you have to agree with me. If you get something from the pinning that you are going to miss the rest of your life- go to the pinning.
Can't you just drive back after the open house to make it to the ceremony? Five hours isn't that long of a drive to do two things that are important to you!
Maybe you should call the hospital and find out if they will even be hiring new grads at the open house. A local hospital had an open house a few months ago and at the beginning announced for all the new grads to follow her. She got them all together and announced that they were not looking for new grads at that time and for them to leave. There were about 70 new grads who had showed up just to be told to leave.
Maybe you should call the hospital and find out if they will even be hiring new grads at the open house. A local hospital had an open house a few months ago and at the beginning announced for all the new grads to follow her. She got them all together and announced that they were not looking for new grads at that time and for them to leave. There were about 70 new grads who had showed up just to be told to leave.
That's exactly what I was going to do on Monday. Nowhere on the hospital's website did it say there was an open house-So I want to confirm and then ask if new grads will be considered at the open house, and if not, I guess I'm going to the pinning ceremony.
Can't you just drive back after the open house to make it to the ceremony? Five hours isn't that long of a drive to do two things that are important to you!
NO way. I'm not driving 5 hours, you have no idea how tedious of a drive that is. Pinning isn't THAT important, jeez. 5 hours..no.
Job > Pinning. I know it's not such a simple decision cause you want to be there to celebrate your achievement (and Nursing school IS an achievement!) but that's what I would do.
I'd go to the open house. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't even waste the money on my pin. It's just been gathering dust since I got it, the actual ceremony took about 15 minutes. Anyway, as others have said, you never know what connections you may make at the open house that may get you a job, which is more important in the long run. I got my current job through an unlikely connection, so you never do know.
There is no way I would miss my pinning. And yes nursing schools still do it. I haven't heard of one that doesn't to be honest. I would put a call into HR and just explain that the night of the open house is your pinning and could you submit your resume early. This would be a great opportunity to get to speak with HR and see what they want and need and what requirements you need to work there. You have worked way too hard to earn this night and if it were me, I wouldn't miss it for the world.
bella14k
143 Posts
You see, that's the thing- I don't want to miss the pinning ceremony b.c it's closure to me-Seeing classmates I guess, but also seeing the professors smile as they pin you (I think we're getting assigned pin-partners, lol) with that "You made it"-look on their faces..it is going to be a special moment.