The Department of Nursing formally welcomed the 105 members of the Class of 2022 to the nursing profession during its annual pinning ceremony on May 20, which featured a special appearance by Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine.
Levine opened his remarks with an acknowledgement of the shared experience of healthcare professionals navigating the uncertainties of COVID-19.
“We know a lot about COVID-19 and its variants, how easily it spreads, the range of its symptoms - from almost none to requiring a ventilator - and the tragic toll it’s taken,” said Levine. “But less than three years ago, while most of you were very early in your studies and may still have been wondering even if nursing was the right career for you, we really knew nothing about this novel coronavirus, nor did we know it was the worst global pandemic in a century.”
Levine emphasized the impact of the nurse's role, and of each student’s contributions to patient care.
“Fast forward to now, here you are, committed to one of the most generous life choices you can make. With eyes wide open, understanding what it means to be a nurse at the moment that these skills are clearly most needed,” Levine said.
"I want you to know that you personally are valued," Levine continued, noting that the ongoing COVID response revealed strengths in the healthcare system and also exposed a need to better support nurses, their career goals, and satisfaction, and that the State of Vermont is taking action to invest in and grow the nursing workforce.
“The Class of 2022 are doers,” said Dr. Jason Garbarino, vice-chair of the undergraduate nursing program at the University of Vermont, as he described the graduates’ dedication to promoting social justice, advancing racial and ethnic diversity in the nursing workforce, caring for the environment, and improving healthcare accessibility and delivery.
Professor Laura Lewis also addressed the class whose academic career was forever changed in the spring of their sophomore year, when they went home for spring break and didn’t return to campus.
“Today is the culmination of four years of your time, your fortitude, your intelligence, your perseverance, and your resilience,” said Lewis, as she shared impactful moments from her own nursing experience.
“On those days when you question yourself. . . recall those moments from clinical when you were the person who took the time to hear someone's story, to help somebody into the shower and allow them to feel human again, to offer a word of comfort that you know turned someone’s day around, to see that subtle sign or change in a patient that others have missed,” said Lewis. “Think back to the four years that you've spent here, hone your skills, hold the science and the art of nursing, and most importantly, treat yourself with the same gentleness and compassion that you show to your patients.”
The Class of 2022 were then presented with their nursing pins.
History of the Nursing Pinning Ceremony
The symbolic tradition of welcoming newly graduated nurses to the profession dates back to the 12th century when monks caring for the injured during the Crusades were given a Maltese cross. Florence Nightingale, known as the founder of modern nursing, later received the Royal Red Cross for her role as a military nurse during conflict and gave her own students medals for their service.