Who pays for your pin?

allnurses Guide · Apr 30, 2011

We paid for our own, and had a choice as to quality of metal, some bought sterling silver, others the gold one. Didn't want one? Didn't have to buy one.

"Volunteering" work so they pay for a pin, isn't really volunteering, its getting more labor than your cost of the pin is likely worth.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Apr 30, 2011

School goes through and gives you a pin at the ceremony that is just for the school. You could then buy your own nursing pin ranging from yellow cheapy to 24k gold. I got the silver one just because yellow gold is ugly as hell and it was not that expensive. Like 30 bucks maybe.

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2011

I'm not completely sure my school does pins, but rest assured the student would purchase it. We have to buy syllabi. Dang skippy we'd buy extras. I don't want a pin. I'm not into flair.

LFalcon · Apr 30, 2011

Our graduation ceremony is next Friday... we were given the option to "purchase" a pin. They are $80. which we all thought was allot as we are all struggling nursing students... We asked for permission to buy pins online.. even agreeing to purchase from the same place. The answer was NO! We all signed a petition - still the dean said NO. So, out of 49 grads, I think 10 might have bought a pin...

CrunchyMama, ASN, RN · May 1, 2011

We had to buy our own pins. We all thought it was BS because even though the pins were only $5...the school couldn't afford to buy everyones as a gift? We already spend enough on tuition, books, time away from family, lost days at work, etc etc....and they can't do 1 little thing! Oh and then we're now having to pay for our own $25/plate meal at our own graduation party (hence the reason why most students have decided not to go)! Originally all our fundraising was going to cover it, now they claim we didn't raise enough....bull, we've been selling crap since 1st semester! I can't wait to be done with school!

Kringe38 · May 1, 2011

We pay for our own pin directly. I guess that's better, in a way, than having the cost of the pin rolled into tuition. At least you have the choice of whether or not to spend the money on it this way. If you can't or don't want to, you can still attend the pinning and they will use a ribbon on you. You must either use the school's pin that you have bought OR use the ribbon substitute, no other pins allowed. I went ahead and scratched up the money since I really wanted to have it for some reason.

ETA: Would probably not be willing to do "volunteer work" for the pin. Too much extra fuss to think about.

LFalcon · May 1, 2011

I like the ribbon idea... that's a nice thought.. I am so ticked off with school I could not bring myself to fork over $80... I got my CNA license almost 2 years ago.. when we finished they GAVE us a super nice PIN...

You might think that at $17K in tuition they might do something... we don't even get dinner offered.. we bought our cap/gown! from the school nontheless! Our tickets to give to family/friends to the ceremony are on business cards that they made... how tacky?? really???

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · May 1, 2011

What about just skipping the pinning ordeal?

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · May 1, 2011

What about just skipping the pinning ordeal?

i am from the era of uniforms, caps, and pins. Just like my education......I paid for it. The caps, the stripes on our caps, and our pins were a symbol of our place and position as a nurse. Our first year we had no cap, our second we had capping ceremony and were given our caps but no stripes, our third year we were given our black stripe, our fourth year....our yellow. When we graduated we went through our pinning ceremony and then we went to the college graduation. The caps and the pins were a symbol of what we had earned and accomplished.......and i was proud of them. I hated my nurses cap for all it did was get filthy and get pulled off my head........but I still wear my pin to this very day. My pin means as much to me as all the letters behind everyones name these days.......if not more.

I earned it and i deserve it!

LFalcon · May 1, 2011

I can see everyones point and understand where everyone is coming from.. I supposed it would be nice to get offered a pin to purchase at perhaps a lower cost??? I think some said it was $5? not sure - but $80 is 2 weeks of gas for me to actually get to school and the hospital..

Out of curiosity, where do you wear your pin -on your name badge? just curious as I don't think I have ever seen anyone in the hospital with a pin on.. I was wondering where you would wear it?

Our wonderful clinical teacher offered to pin us in our own little ceremony with pins we selected.. perhaps that is what our little group might do? Especially as she was our mentor.. and she is not allowed at the school ceremony.

Kringe38 · May 1, 2011

I would be interested to see one of these $5 pins. I had to pay about $100 for mine!

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · May 1, 2011

i am from the era of uniforms, caps, and pins. Just like my education......I paid for it. The caps, the stripes on our caps, and our pins were a symbol of our place and position as a nurse. Our first year we had no cap, our second we had capping ceremony and were given our caps but no stripes, our third year we were given our black stripe, our fourth year....our yellow. When we graduated we went through our pinning ceremony and then we went to the college graduation. The caps and the pins were a symbol of what we had earned and accomplished.......and i was proud of them. I hated my nurses cap for all it did was get filthy and get pulled off my head........but I still wear my pin to this very day. My pin means as much to me as all the letters behind everyones name these days.......if not more.
I earned it and i deserve it!

Eh, I guess I don't value external symbols of achievement. I see your perspective though.