Page 17 - Golden West College School of Nursing Virtual Pinning Ceremony Program
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The Tradition of the Pinning Ceremony
The nursing pin and accompanying ceremony represent a meaningful experience for nursing students It symbolizes the completion of educational requirements that enable nurses to sit for the state licensure examination and begin practicing as registered nurses
Nursing students are pinned by a registered nurse, often a teacher or mentor, who has the honor of welcoming them into the profession
The Meaning Behind the Lighting of the Lamp
When the nursing pinning ceremony was first initiated in the 1860's, the lamp was a symbol of the care and devotion the nurse administers to the sick and injured in the practice of nursing After nurses were pinned, Florence Nightingale, the Founder of Modern Nursing, would light a lamp and pass the flame to each nurse as they said the Nurse's Pledge The lamp further represents Nightingale's famous 'Rounds At Night,' and is symbolic of her dedication
Pinning Ceremony - Spring 2020 17
