A few hours after the Commissioning Ceremony we had to head to the Pinning Ceremony for the Nursing program. I really wish that I would have taken some better pictures of the night but I was exhausted by this point and didn’t really care at the time.
The pinning ceremony is a tradition that dates back to the Nightingale School of Nursing in London. During the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale was awarded the red cross for her selfless devotion to the injured and ill. She decided to extend this honor to graduating nurses whom demonstrated outstanding performances by giving them a medal. In 1880 the tradition of pinning all graduating students began and became known as an important rite of passage into the nursing profession.
The ceremony began with a guest speaker then the hooding of the Master students. After the hooding of the Master students was the pinning of us Bachelor students. After awards were presented we all received candles. We all light our candles and recited the Nursing pledge. It was a really beautiful, hot ceremony!
I am so thankful that nursing school is over. It was honestly the hardest thing that I have ever done. I will eventually go back to school to get my masters but the thought of more school right now is enough to make me nauseous. Thank you family and friends for helping me stay semi sane during this crazy adventure.
Kayla Lemons 