The 2024 graduating class of the Catherine W. Wood School of Nursing was recognized during the Nurse Pinning Ceremony on Thursday, May 9 in Hobson Performance Center at Campbell University among the applause and congratulations of their loved ones.
After a warm welcome from the Director of Nursing, Dr. Pamela Edwards, and greetings from Associate Dean of Health Sciences, Dr. Wes Rich, it was time to honor students who had made extraordinary contributions to the field of nursing during their time at Campbell.
The Allison Ann Baker Impact Award was presented for the first time. It was created by Allison’s mother and father in memory of her and the contributions she made throughout her career as a mental health nurse. Allison worked tirelessly to break the stigma and stereotypes associated with mental health care. The award recognizes a graduating nursing student who shared a passion for mental health nursing and exhibited a unique ability to engage with mental health patients. This year’s recipient demonstrated a unique talent in caring for mental health patients. Her compassion, calm demeanor, and sound judgement were evident in clinical settings. She helped lead our Student Nurses Association while juggling the demands of her course and clinical work. The very first recipient of the Allison Ann Baker Impact Award is Ericka Knoll.
Next came the Dr. Nancy Duffy Leadership Award which recognizes the senior BSN student who exhibits qualities of a nurse leader. This student sought to promote the common good and demonstrated sound judgement. She was creative in her approach to patient care, open to opportunities to grow in her craft, and able to work constructively through the many challenges she faced. This year, the Dr. Nancy Duffy Leadership Award is presented to Sandra Smith.
The Nursing Advocacy Award recognizes the senior BSN student who possessed the ability to clinically reason through situations involving complex and challenging patient care. This student kept patient well-being at the forefront of her care and always sought opportunities to advocate on behalf of her patients. She never lost sight of the goal of achieving positive patient health outcomes. This year, the Nursing Advocacy Award is presented to Hayden Tarpey.
The Dr. Sandra Goins Nursing Duty, Honor, and Integrity Award is presented to the student who possesses military experience or is a family member of a veteran. This student has endured the rigors of Nursing school while demonstrating unwavering support for her active-duty military spouse. She has remained committed to her nursing education while overcoming challenges faced by military families. This year, the Dr. Sandra Goins Nursing Duty, Honor, and Integrity Award is presented to Lillian Sasser.
The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses honors nurses who go above and beyond and make extraordinary differences in the healthcare experiences of patients and families. The DAISY Award honors the super-human work nurses do for patients and families every day and recognizes a student who has provided compassionate care during their clinical training. In deep appreciation of your commitment to extraordinary clinical skills and compassionate care that will make a meaningful difference in the lives of many people, the Spring 2024 Campbell University School of Nursing Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students is presented to Jackson Hayes.
Following the awards presentation, students received the coveted Campbell Nursing Pin. Some students chose to be pinned by loved ones, their eyes shining with gratitude as they embraced this poignant moment of connection. Others opted for a faculty member, their mentors and guides throughout their academic journey.
Continuing with the service, all present nurses, both seasoned professionals and fresh graduates, joined together to recite the Florence Nightingale Pledge. Their voices, strong and resolute, echoed through the performance center, a solemn vow to uphold the values of their noble profession.
As the ceremony drew to a close, Dr. Edwards took a moment to congratulate the students and express her gratitude to the faculty, staff, administration, and loved ones who had supported them along the way.
History of the Nursing Pin and Ceremony
The tradition of the nursing pin and the ceremonial pinning began in the 1860s at the Nightingale School of Nursing at St. Thomas Hospital in London. Having been recently awarded the Red Cross of St. George for her selfless service to the injured and dying in the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale chose to extend the honor to her most outstanding graduate nurses by presenting them each with a medal of excellence.
The Pinning Ceremony now marks the passage from the student role to the practice role. The pin of each school of nursing is unique, and only graduates of that school may wear the pin as a statement that they have completed that program.
Campbell University Catherine W. Wood School of Nursing’s Inaugural Class of 2018 designed the pin.
