| The Pinning Ceremony is a wonderful time-honored | | | | symbol of Florence Nightingale's lamplight. A member |
| nursing school tradition, dating back before the turn of | | | | of the faculty lights each candle after the graduate is |
| the twentieth century. Some schools view the pinning | | | | pinned and welcomes the new nurse or, all graduates |
| ceremony as an outdated ritual and are abandoning it | | | | line up and the flame travels down the line with, each |
| altogether. It is a more intimate version of the | | | | graduate lighting their neighbor's candle welcoming |
| graduation special to nursing graduates; a celebration | | | | them to nursing. |
| of what you and your class have accomplished during | | | | The New Trends |
| the past two-four (sometimes more) years. | | | | Students are wearing semi-formal attire or caps and |
| Here's what some students had to say | | | | gowns rather then the traditional white uniforms. |
| "I love that myself and my classmates will get special | | | | Students are choosing who pins them instead of one |
| recognition apart from the other college graduates. In | | | | faculty member pinning all. Popular choices are their |
| the graduation ceremony, there are several hundred | | | | child, spouse, parent, other relative, or a favorite clinical |
| graduates. Everyone wears the same thing so there is | | | | instructor. While the graduate is pinned another reads |
| no distinction. I am quite excited that we get our own | | | | their prepared "words of thanks" and announce where |
| separate ceremony, for those of us and our families | | | | they will start their career. |
| who understand what we've been through to get | | | | Including a 5-10 minute slide show reflecting on the past |
| where we are." -Kim | | | | years in school adds a nice personal touch. Use |
| "I graduated from nursing school 4 years ago, and we | | | | background music or have a voiceover of students |
| were required to do pinning and graduation. I can tell | | | | reflecting on their nursing school experience. |
| you that the pinning was more significant to me. Not | | | | Reciting an updated Nursing Pledge such as: |
| that these professions aren't important, but graduation | | | | Before God and in the presence of this assembly we |
| got lost to accountants and business type people. | | | | promise: |
| Pinning was about the nurses. It was all of us, who had | | | | - To practice the art and science of nursing, toward |
| struggled through the same thing and endured the | | | | increasing patients' physical and emotional health, |
| same tortures. We would just look at each other and | | | | based on evidence and current nursing research. |
| cry, because this is what we had all been talking about | | | | - To acknowledge the privilege to hold their lives in our |
| for sooooo long. And our loved ones, the people who | | | | care, and practice nursing, in partnership with our |
| helped get us through it and sacrificed just as much, | | | | patients. |
| were there with us. Our instructors pinned us. Very | | | | - To acknowledge the privilege to comfort our dying |
| formal affair. It just meant so much." -Donna | | | | patients, into death, with dignity. |
| The Traditional Ceremony | | | | - To hold those entrusted to our care with respect, |
| The traditional ceremony starts with a processional of | | | | affirm their innate worth and hold their privacies in |
| graduates in white uniforms. There is usually a guest | | | | confidence. |
| speaker and one or more student speakers, including | | | | - To advocate for the health and needs of our |
| the class president or president of your local Student | | | | patients, respecting their cultural and religious beliefs. |
| Nurses' Association. Awards are given out and | | | | - To act as leaders in promoting health throughout our |
| flowers are given to choice faculty members. | | | | communities. |
| Reading of the Florence Nightingale Pledge: | | | | - To hold in esteem nursing educators, researchers, |
| I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the | | | | scholars and experts who have guided our path, and |
| presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and | | | | are welcoming us into the profession. |
| to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from | | | | - To help strengthen fellow nurses and advance the |
| whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not | | | | aims of our nursing profession. |
| take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do | | | | - To share our knowledge with, encourage, and |
| all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard | | | | welcome future nurses. |
| of my profession, and will hold in confidence all | | | | The passing of the flame is symbolic and still very |
| personal matters committed to my keeping and all | | | | popular. Lighting the candles is an elegant way to end |
| family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice | | | | the ceremony. |
| of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the | | | | So plan your pinning and make it your own. Do what |
| physician in his work, and devote myself to the | | | | works for your class and it will be a beautiful and |
| welfare of those committed to my care. | | | | emotional ceremony you, your classmates, and your |
| The passing of the flame, that is lighting candles as a | | | | loved ones will never forget. |