Pinning

Pinning was such a emotional time. I worked hard not to cry. I only choked up once. The whole evening was bittersweet. Celebrating all we have accomplished was necessary but at the same time pinning marked the end of our cohort's time together. Below is the speech I made for the group. Such memories...


"Good evening ladies & gentlemen. I, along with my cohort, welcome you to this very meaningful and much anticipated occasion. Thank you Dean Miller, President Anderson, Alumni President Linda Strand, Rev. Dennis Sepper, faculty & staff, and our family and friends for sharing this evening with myself and my classmates. A special thank you is also due to Heather McKinney, our class liaison, and Kristi Edrington for their talents in organizing our ceremony.

One of the first concepts regarding nursing we heard in class was the “art and science of nursing.” This is the blend of the human touch and science of evidence-based practice. Florence Nightingale stated in one of her many works “Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion, as hard a preparation, as any painter's or sculptor's work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God's spirit? It is one of the Fine Arts: the finest of Fine Arts.”

Much of our class time over the last three years has been devoted to learning the science of nursing. This allows us to care for our patient’s bodies; but it’s the art of nursing that calls us to the profession and allows each of us to touch souls.

Clinical experiences and mentoring with preceptors and faculty have helps us develop the art of nursing. We have worked intentionally at developing our art of nursing in individual practices.

Working in patient care teams as we gave newborns their first baths, assessing patients under the watchful eye of our faculty, guiding patients in alternative pain management strategies and participating in treatment teams with other healthcare professionals, each, have guided us along the nursing way – the journey that shapes our future practice.

Members of our cohort have been instrumental in this process. We have modeled the art of nursing for each other and learned from each other in clinical post conferences and informal soup and grilled cheese sandwich lunches. One of my favorite parts of our clinical journeys was sharing in clinical conference about the differences in our experiences and the things we all learned in a day. I counted it even more a joy to see my fellow classmates with patients as their caregiver and advocate. It leaves me astounded by the quality of individuals that have come together in this cohort. We are leaving here and going to shape our practice and change the world…one life, one family and one moment at a time.

To commemorate this occasion, I have been asked to share, that conveys our fond memories of the last few years. Born in a long study session, this is a creative adaptation of Etta James’ At Last.


At last, graduation has come along
My study nights are over
And life is like a song
Oh, yeah, at last
My scrubs are no longer blue
My mind was wrapped in patho
but my cohort helped me through

I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a beat to press my scope to
And breath sounds I have never known
Oh, yeah when they breathe, you smile
Oh, our time has come so fast

And here we are at Pacific Lutheran
graduating
At last


We have devoted the last few years of our lives to learning how to teach, support, communicate, medicate, and coordinate patient-care events. We have shared our passion, our hearts and our lives with each other. For this we are grateful. Each able to count in our journey 38 new friends that will forever be united by this one thing. We are a cohort. "

PLU SoN December 2011 Cohort