Many people dream of becoming a nurse and helping people on a daily basis. Caring for those who are sick and working to save lives is an important and honorable calling.
To become a nurse, students must complete a specialized Nursing program designed to provide them with the skills and experience needed to provide quality patient care. After a student completes their comprehensive nursing training, they will take part in a special nursing graduation ceremony. This ceremony is very meaningful and dates back hundreds of years. Many nurses throughout history have experienced this same ceremony.
Read on to learn all about the significance of this special graduation ceremony!
History of Nursing Pinning Ceremony
The history of the nursing pinning ceremony dates back hundreds of years to the Crusades in the 12th century. Knights who cared for the injured and sick were given a pin to wear on the battlefields. Afterward, when new monks were brought in, they continued giving each a Maltese cross as part of the tradition.
Then, in the 1800s during the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale, who was the founder of modern nursing, was awarded the Royal Red Cross for her efforts in caring for the injured. Later, Nightingale presented her exceptional nursing students with a medal of excellence and gave them a pin when they finished their studies. Over time, the pinning ceremonies began to include all nurses when they graduated and finished their training.
By the early 1900s, the pinning ceremony for nursing graduates was a common tradition in the United States and the United Kingdom. Still today, many nurses go through this rite of passage as they prepare to enter the nursing profession.
Significance of Pinning Ceremony
This special nursing graduation ceremony is different from normal graduation because it is specifically for students who have completed the hard work to earn a nursing degree and practice as a professional nurse. This ceremony symbolizes the continuous effort of nursing students and their dedication toward the nursing profession and their patients. It’s a very meaningful and emotional event for many nursing graduates who participate. They often invite friends and family to attend the ceremony and experience the celebration of their important achievement.
Many nursing students choose a significant person in their life to dedicate their pins. This could be a family member or someone who has inspired them during nursing school. The nursing student will present this significant person with their pin.
At East Ohio College, graduates receive a candle lamp, which is a symbol derived from Florence Nightingale, who used a lamp to make her rounds. Nursing students light the candle on their lamp and then recite the Florence Nightingale pledge, in which they promise to faithfully practice the nursing profession and dedicate themselves to their patients.
Nursing Training With East Ohio College
If you’re ready to start your path to becoming a nurse, East Ohio College may be the perfect choice for you. Our accelerated Nursing degree is completed in just 24 months, so you can start your nursing career quickly. With our direct admission Nursing program, you won’t waste time taking classes that are not related to nursing. Instead, you begin your nursing courses immediately when you start the program.
While enrolled in their nursing classes, students receive comprehensive training in a variety of essential areas, including the nursing process, health promotion and maintenance, and therapeutic communication skills. This in-depth training prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-RN◦ licensing exam, which is required to become a registered nurse.
Nursing students have the opportunity to complete their clinicals in local medical facilities such as Akron Children’s Hospital, East Liverpool City Hospital, Heritage Valley Health System, and Alliance Community Hospital.
To get started on your path to your dream nursing career, contact us at 330-385-1070 or request information today!
◦Passing the NCLEX-RN is required to become a Registered Nurse.