More than 80 students were honored with a traditional pinning ceremony after completing requirements for a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree from the Linfield-Good Samaritan School of Nursing Dec. 15.
Of the 88 graduates, 55 are preparing to become registered nurses (RNs) and 33 are working nurses who completed the online RN to BSN program.
The pinning ceremony represents the culmination of a nurse’s education and signifies that he or she is accepted into the nursing profession. For the students who completed the RN to BSN program, it is a chance to re-welcome them to nursing. Each school of nursing has a unique pin.
Miles K. Davis, Linfield College president, looked out at the class and said, “I’m honored to stand in front of you today and look out at people who are going to make a difference in the world.”
He continued, “I do want to embrace the sacredness of the moment…the responsibility of taking on the healing, the rehabilitation, the caring of another human being is a sacred responsibility.”
“Our nursing students…bear witness to human struggles that most students will never encounter,” added Kim Dupree Jones, dean and professor of nursing. “While nursing is an honor…the journey is, at times, emotionally and physically draining.”
Meredith Farrell ’08, Linfield alumna of the year, talked about passion, empathy and support in her address to the graduates. Ferrell works in nursing informatics — advocating for the right technology to help nurses and their patients.
Nursing is a second career for Farrell. As a former systems analyst for Intel, she recalls being told there was an emergency and ran down the hall only to find out that it was a financial emergency. Farrell argued that an emergency was “someone bleeding to death.”
A co-worker shot back, “Maybe you should become a nurse!” Farrell went back to her desk and Googled “nursing as a second career.”
Other awardees besides Farrell were Christina Ponder ’18, RN to BSN Senior Honors in Nursing Award; Marcella Baldwin ’18, Senior Honors in Nursing Award; Hailey Shell ’18, Professional Excellence in Nursing Award; and Kristi Castillo ’18, Wilma Pope Alumni Award.
