Every year, nursing students form the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, receive their pins during a traditional pinning ceremony that takes place before graduation.
This year, 100 nurses were pinned at the Shepard & Ruth K. Broad Performing Arts Center. The pinning ceremony is a time-honored nursing school tradition, dating back before the turn of the 20th century. Students receive their nursing pins after meeting the necessary program requirements for completion of the nursing program. The event includes the Nurse's Pledge and lighting ceremony.
Florence Nightingale was honored with the Red Cross of St. George for her selfless efforts to injured men during the Crimean War. Because she believed in acknowledging a job well done, she presented a medal of excellence to her hardest working nursing graduates. However, by 1916 it became standard in the U.S. to no longer award only a few nurses with a medal of excellence, but instead all nursing graduates with a pin during a special ceremony. The pin was provided by the hospital school of nursing to the students to identify them as nurses and show proof of their education.
This symbolic welcoming of newly graduated nurses into the nursing profession are given by the faculty of the nursing school
Students and faculty members were recognized for their achievements and contributions toward various areas of nursing.
Lidiana Dyer received the academic excellence award; Yaima Abreu received the clinical excellence award; Alicia Dabdoub received the Alec J. Santora award; and Kristan Best received the community impact award.