Nursing Pins and The History of Nursing Pinning Ceremonies
|Nursing Pin - Lamp of Knowledge
Nursing is one of the most challenging careers a person can embark upon. The training and studying involved in getting your nursing degree is arduous and can take years to complete. Not to mention that once licensed, a nurse’s average work day is 12 hours long, sometimes more. There are very few more deserving professions to celebrate, reward, and recognize than nursing.
One of the most time honored traditions in celebrating a nursing career is the pinning ceremony. The idea of nursing pins was originally to distinguish doctors and nurses from their laymen contemporaries. At the time, very few people could read, so elaborate and recognizable symbols were engraved on pins so that those in need would know who to go to for help. Then, during the Black Plague of the middle 14th century the bravery and talent of nurses was finally recognized, and pins became not only to distinguish but to honor nurses, much like soldiers in the military receive pins for acts of heroism.
Actual nursing pinning ceremonies and nursing pins spawned from these origins, and nowadays they blend old traditions with new, creating endless combinations and unique experiences for every graduating class. Oftentimes nurses will still wear the traditional white hats and uniforms for pinning day, but the pins are no longer the ancient standard of the original Maltese cross pin.
Pinning ceremonies are a wonderful way to send nurses off into their professional careers, and having customized lapel pins created for the occasion can make it even more special for your next graduating class!