UD Nursing Program to Hold First Pinning Ceremony
May 7, 2007 | University of Dubuque Theological Seminary
On Friday, May 11, 2007 the University of Dubuque Nursing Program will celebrate the first graduating class of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students since the program's reinstatement in 2004, with a Pinning Ceremony at 11:30 a.m. in Steffens Hall of the Charles and Romona Myers Center.
"With an impending national nursing shortage due to the aging of the nursing workforce and the increasing demand for health care due to the aging of the population, BSN-prepared nurses are needed to meet the challenges of health care in the 21st century," stated Dolter. With its focus on quality patient-centered care, patient safety, teamwork, informatics, evidence-based care and quality improvement, UD nursing graduates are prepared for these challenges. In addition to the UD nursing and other faculty, the administration and staff of 16 Dubuque-area clinical agencies were integral to the education of this first graduating class."
Seventeen students will receive their nursing pin. They are: Angela Armstrong (Sherrill, IA), Natalie Bradley (Dubuque, IA), Lynsi DeMoss (East Dubuque, IL), Sarah Driscoll (Dubuque, IA), Kelly Flogel (Dubuque, IA), Terrence Funke (Dyersville, IA), Nichol Haase (Dubuque, IA), Ann Hefel (Dubuque, IA), April Heffernan (Scales Mound, IL), Khor Lim (Dubuque, IA), Allison Maas (Dixon, IL), Amanda Miller (Dubuque, IA), Noel Norup (Oregon, IL), Julianne Robision (North English, IA), Danyel Roling (Sabula, IA), Courtland Taylor (Rockford, IL), and Angela Updegraff (Dubuque, IA).
The Pinning Ceremony is a time-honored nursing school tradition - nursing students have conducted an Honors or Pinning Ceremony as a rite of passage from student nurses to practice nurses. Pinning dates back to 1880 and signifies the integrity and tradition of badges worn by the healers and crusaders of care. Regardless of where their new careers in nursing take the graduates, their pin will represent where they earned their professional education.
Nursing began at University of Dubuque in 1976 and, until 1997, the program offered fully accredited RN-to-BSN and MSN nursing preparation. In fall 2004, the University instituted a pre-licensure BSN Nursing program; in April 2007, this program received national accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
