What was your Pinning Ceremony like?

[Nurse2bSandy]

Hey New Grads! (or less recent grads too!)

What did you do for your pinning ceremony?

Where was it held?

What day and time?

Who was involved?

What worked well/ you would change?

I am in charge of the pinning ceremony committee for our graduating class in May. We are attempting to make some changes to the ceremony... it is usually the Sunday morning before graduation, held outside on our campus.

Last May there was a torrential rain storm and mud was everywhere. The tent where the graduates and their pinners sat was full of mud, people took their shoes off and waded in the mud to get to the platform! It was horrible and humiliating to think that after all the money spent, family members could not enjoy the ceremony... not to mention the graduates!

Our campus is beautiful... but we do not have an auditorium. We have taken our complaints/suggestions to the deans, and they are not thrilled, but we are pushing to make it a very nice, clean time!

I would appreciate any ideas... thanks!

Sandy

[Fiona59]

College of LPN Alberta sends you a sterling silver pin with your registration number engraved on it when you pass the national exam. If you loose it there's $25 replacement charge. I think the cost was covered by our registration fees. Silver circle with a pink rose in the middle (enamal (can't spell right now)I think).

Our schools pin was ugly but came free at graduation.

[ibmissy]

I wish my school offered $30 pins. Our sterling silver pin was over $100, and was the cheapest option.

Considering tuition was $18K I would say the pin really should have been included. Hahahaha.

[Jennerizer, ASN, RN]

My class had a pinning last Dec 16th. We weren't sure what to expect. The reheasal took forever - you would have thought our school never held a pinning ceremony before. A lot of us were apprehensive as to how the actual ceremony was going to go. We were only allowed to wear our white clinical scrubs (ugh), but had to remove the school patch because somehow that now signifies were no longer student nurses. Ok, whatever. We all purchased our own pins - some spent a lot, the rest of us got the $7 one for sale at the bookstore. We were allowed to invite as many people as we wanted. The ceremony took place in the school gym - good thing because there were over 1000 people there.

Looking back on the experience, I have to say that it really is a special time. It is a memory I will never forget. We had approx 85 graduates, so we were set up in 4 separate rows to walk into the gym holding our lanterns and having a member of the faculty light them. We then proceeded to our seats on the platform/stage and watched as our fellow classmates got to take their walk "down the aisle" so to speak. When we were all standing by our chairs, our Dean of Nursing made an announcement to the crowd basically introducing the December RN Graduating Class. The place erupted in applause, screaming, cheering and finally a standing ovation that seemed to last quite awhile. It was at that moment where it truly hit me that we really did accomplish something very special - I guess you could say it was at that point where graduation really felt real, if that makes sense. Every chance they got, the crowd would applause and there were quite a few more standing ovations. As we sat down, there were a few faculty speakers, then a few student speakers - then the pinning began. Each one of us was introduced (sort of like a graduation ceremony) & walked to the front of the crowd and were pinned. Next we were handed a red rose and we returned to our seats. After we finished that, more student speakers and then a slide show with music. When it was over, we were first to walk down the aisle and out the door while the crowd continued to applaud and cheer us on. It was a wonderful experience and I am so glad I took part in it. And the real ceremony took a lot less time than the actual ceremony. I think we started on time at 7 pm and were done by 8:15. We had heard previous classes ceremonies took 3 to 4 hours.

To those that have the opportunity to participate, you should. And for those that don't have any pinning ceremony - I would work on getting the faculty to allow it.

[NewEnglandRN, RN]

Jenniferizer,

Your pinning ceremony sounded lovely. Congratulations! :balloons:

[manna, BSN, RN]

We chose our own "pinner". Mine was my daughter who was 9 years old at that time. We also picked out our own pin. ibmissy - I like your idea.

Provided I make it to graduation... :chuckle

That's awesome! I hope our pinning allows us to pick as well - I'd love to have my son do it. :)

I think the whole pinning thing sounds like a very special ceremony - especially since alot of programs (mine included) have a mass graduation that seems rather impersonal (plus you can only invite 2??? guests!)

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Can I just ask why so many RN's are clinging to this ceremony? The lamp and cap thing was traditional with hospital based nurse training. With all the emphasis being placed on diploma and degrees, why is the pining seen as so very important? I thought the whole thing about a degree was getting that piece of paper in the mortarboard and black gown?!

Now just think this one over before flaming me.

No flames ... just my thoughts. :)

I agree with another poster who pointed out that pinning continues a tradition unique to nursing. For me personally, I feel proud to be joining a profession with a unique, easily identified history. I don't see it as "clinging" but as something more like "continuing to uphold." I feel like I will have become something that I wasn't before - a nurse - not just completed a course of study. Maybe that's just semantics ...

We have one graduation/pinning ceremony at my school. I graduate this June. Just TODAY I filled out a form indicating how I want my name printed on my diploma, and what initials I want on my pin. What a boost! :balloons:

[kaseysmom, LPN]

I just graduated Dec. 18th. My pinning ceremony was after our final grades were in - which was the Wed. before graduation - and our last day was the Friday Dec 17th. Our ceremony was at a country club..we all processed in - some of us received awards, had a few speakers, received our diplomas and then recited the Florence Nightengale pledge - which, we were told - was only to be recited once - AFTER you had knowingly successfully completed a nursing program. However, I don't know how it works elsewhere.

[Audreyfay]

Hey man, I got cheated. I never got any lamp. I graduated with my Associate RN in 1976. We had a pinning ceremony. The officers of the Student Nurses Association sat in the front, some of the instructors got up and gave some speeches. The president of our SNA talked a little. But.....I got the time mixed up. My family and I walked in just as they were calling my name to go to the front to get my pin. I was one of the officers, so there was an empty seat up there for me. I guess it wasn't very important to me. When I got my BSN, I got my pin and diploma in the mail. Didn't even bother to go to graduation. Since my MSN graduation was my last (never again), I did go to graduation. I think the graduation is enough. I love the pins I bought, but was just as happy picking them up from the University Center or excitedly opening the mail.

[renerian, BSN, RN]

WE did not have a pinning event. I was just glad to get outta there and get back to less chaos at home. My kids were definately trying to get more attention. LOL.

renerian

[SJSU_Mami]

Our pinning ceremony was held on a saturday, from 2-4 pm. It was the only time available at our school's Tower hall. We were allowed 13 people each, and it was based on the honor system. Fundraising didn't help much so each student paid 90.00 each, but we all got 40.00 back at the ceremony, along with sjsu mugs and our slideshow on cd. There is still money leftover, which our class decided to donate to Tsunami relief.

There were designated students to plan the ceremony. Two oversaw the whole thing. A group was formed for ordering pins, another for the program dedication, and another for the slideshow.

One student was commissioned as a Naval Officer at the ceremony. It was so awesome to watch. We shared our ceremony with the Master's students, and there were only a few of them, vs about 60 of us. One student from each spoke, and scholarships and awards were recognized. We were pinned by 2 or 3 people, and the pinners had assigned seating, as we did. The pins were attached to white ribbon, which our pinner put around our neck onstage. A photographer was present to take pics of everything. We of course wore caps and gowns, with apricot tassels.

I wish we could have had our ceremony somewhere grand like the Fairmont Hotel, but we didn't have the money for that place. It was a nice program tho, it was mostly for the parents.. We ended with Nightingale's pledge, and all went clubbing that night at the same place.. it was a blast!!

[CseMgr1, ASN, RN]

My pinning ceremony was held on June 12, 1981 in one of the city's biggest Baptist Churches (the school was one of those now-defunct, hospital-based diploma schools, owned and operated by the State's Baptist Convention). It was a big deal back then. My class marched into the church to "Pomp and Circumstance", followed by what seemed like a hundred speeches, academic and clinical awards, before we were finally called up one by one, to have our Senior black bands removed from our caps and receive our pins and diplomas by the Director of the School. But what was the most moving part of the ceremony (at least for me), was the Junior class's tribute to us, as one of their classmates sang: "Do You Know (Where You're Going To?)", the theme from the movie "Mahogany". It's a beautiful and moving song, and I still get teary-eyed, whenever I hear it. How times have changed.