What were your Pinning Ceremonies Like?

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

I just graduated from LPN school this August and we wore the traditional White dresses and Nurses Caps. We recited the pledge, lit our candles and had our family members pin our nursing pins on as our instructor read aloud thank yous. It was very traditional. What about anyone else? Are you all doing different things to modernize the traditional nursing pinning ceremonies?

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Our pinning ceremony was rather disappointing...The dean of the program told story after story about her own nursing experiences. We were then pinned (either by an instructor or by a family member who is an RN). Heard some more stories from the dean, and that was about it.

No pledge, no candles (due to fire codes!) no tradition other than the pins. We were told to wear "dress" clothes to the ceremony, so that we would look professional. Well, coming from a nursing family, I was having none of that! There were four of us that decided to wear whites for pinning, and we looked great!!!! Had many complements from instructors, etc.

I just hate the fact that tradition has gone out the window. I'm glad to hear that some schools do still have traditional pinning ceremonies...

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Specializes in ER, Medicine.

We did not wear whites, we did not recite pledges, and we did not light any candles.

We were told to dress in business/church attire under our caps and gowns from our university.

The ceremony was basically speeches, awards, pinning, and appetizers afterwards. It was really quick...at least it seemed that way to me. I was a little dissapointed that it wasn't more exciting.

I remember it was dark in the chapel we were in, the speakers didn't work well, and it was very unorganized because we had no practice time before the ceremony.

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I graduated in May. Our ceremony was beautiful. There were at least 200 of us representing 4 campuses around the state. We marched in with battery opperated lamps to "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong (?). We dressed in white but it could be your choice of a dress or scrubs. Each class chose the faculty they wanted to do the pinning then other faculty presented roses. Each campus had the class prez speak as well as speeches from Dept. heads, dignitaries, etc. We were pinned by campus and after all the campuses were pinned we recited the oath. All nurses in the bldg were encouraged to stand and recite it with us. At the end, more moving music and we marched again with lit lamps. I think it was better than graduation!

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
I graduated in May. Our ceremony was beautiful. There were at least 200 of us representing 4 campuses around the state. We marched in with battery opperated lamps to "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong (?). We dressed in white but it could be your choice of a dress or scrubs. Each class chose the faculty they wanted to do the pinning then other faculty presented roses. Each campus had the class prez speak as well as speeches from Dept. heads, dignitaries, etc. We were pinned by campus and after all the campuses were pinned we recited the oath. All nurses in the bldg were encouraged to stand and recite it with us. At the end, more moving music and we marched again with lit lamps. I think it was better than graduation!

I am soooo jealous. This pinning sounds beautiful!!!

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Specializes in ICU, ER.

20 years ago-uniforms, a few words from school admin, pins didin't arrive on time-each of us had to bring in some kind of pin to be placed. Small, fairly new school.

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Specializes in Hospice, Med/Surg, ICU, ER.

A long, boring uber-traditional drag..... (processional, speeches, pinning, etc, candles, pledge, etc.)

Did I say that I don't much care for this kind of thing?

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Clee, I am so with you. I didn't attend my LPN pinning or graduation. I wouldn't attend this RN one either, except they are holding it directly after a mandatory class one evening, so I would have to actively avoid it, and that would seem like a slight. I'm not inviting anyone, I'm not even telling anyone about it.

I hate this sort of thing, and the sappier it is, the more my eyes are going to roll back into my head and my teeth are going to grind. I'm thinking that if I fill my flask with Bailey's and spike my coffee, I'll be able to tolerate it and fool my classmates and instructors into thinking I'm enjoying myself.

I am just not a sentimental type, and these ceremonies are definitley NOT for people like you and me.

If I could plan it, the pinning would be optional and completely low key. I'd have it in a restaurant/bar, with plenty of wine and good food.No candles, cheesy 80s inspirational songs, and no speeches full of cliches. Just good food, good wine, and friends and family enjoying themselves and celebrating an achievement. Nothing more, nothing less.

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Specializes in Hospice, Med/Surg, ICU, ER.
Clee, I am so with you. I didn't attend my LPN pinning or graduation. I wouldn't attend this RN one either, except they are holding it directly after a mandatory class one evening, so I would have to actively avoid it, and that would seem like a slight. I'm not inviting anyone, I'm not even telling anyone about it.

I hate this sort of thing, and the sappier it is, the more my eyes are going to roll back into my head and my teeth are going to grind. I'm thinking that if I fill my flask with Bailey's and spike my coffee, I'll be able to tolerate it and fool my classmates and instructors into thinking I'm enjoying myself.

I am just not a sentimental type, and these ceremonies are definitley NOT for people like you and me.

If I could plan it, the pinning would be optional and completely low key. I'd have it in a restaurant/bar, with plenty of wine and good food.No candles, cheesy 80s inspirational songs, and no speeches full of cliches. Just good food, good wine, and friends and family enjoying themselves and celebrating an achievement. Nothing more, nothing less.

Oh yeah... with you all the way.

If your school is anything like mine was, you'll have to be there an hour or more before the ceremony, with over-anxious staff flitting around like butterflies trying to get everything "ready" for the momentous occasion. Still, everything will run 20-30 mins later than scheduled, will be less than successfully accomplished, and still resemble a badly-produced off-Broadway musical.:trout:

However, the after-party attended by about 1/2 the class was a smashing good time! :lol2:

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Our instructors seem to be a pretty level headed, matter-of-fact bunch. I hope that our "ceremony" is nice enough to make the people who are flying in all their extended family (!) happy, but not make the the people like me vomit blood.

For people who like to make big deals out of things like this, I want it to not be disappointing. Just low key and for the love of god people PLEASE not reminiscent of a high school graduation or prom!

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Ours was very traditional - white dresses for the females and white unitforms for the men. We carried lighted lamps of learning. At the time I thought it was great. Now after years of being a nurse I realize that nursing is neither romantic or neat anymore.

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