The Averett University School of Nursing held two Nurse Pinning ceremonies on the morning of Friday, May 5, to honor the Class of 2023 in Pritchett Auditorium at the Violet T. Frith Fine Arts Center.

These ceremonies, steeped in centuries of tradition, celebrated Averett students who have successfully completed their Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN), Accelerated Bachelor of Science in nursing (ABSN) or Master of Science in nursing (MSN) degrees this spring.

Dr. Teresa Beach, Averett’s dean of nursing, welcomed these graduates into the “noble, honored, trusted profession of nursing…one with a rich history.” The nurse pinning ceremony includes many significant symbols, from nursing caps and pins, to lamps and anointed oil.

Eight traditional BSN graduates were honored, alongside 13 ABSN graduating peers who completed their degree from Averett’s School of Nursing’s ABSN Norfolk Learning Center. An additional eight ABSN graduates finished their programs, but did not participate in the ceremony.

Averett launched its ABSN program in 2021 as a professional path for those with non-nursing bachelor’s degrees or at least 60 non-nursing college credits. The accredited program combines an online curriculum with hands-on application in an interactive, state-of-the-art learning lab and can be completed in about 16 months. Students also apply their skills through clinical rotations at health care partner sites in Norfolk.

These ABSN graduates bring the total count of ABSN alumni to 52, a group which boasts a 100% first-time pass rate for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) from its August and December 2022 graduates.

“It’s especially meaningful to have our ABSN students, faculty, staff and families here…,” said Averett President Dr. Tiffany M. Franks. “We welcome you home, and to your soon-to-be alma mater.”

The ABSN program complements Averett’s School of Nursing offerings in Danville, including the four-year BSN program and the MSN program with a focus in two key areas – Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Emergency Nurse Practitioner.

Three MSN graduates marked their professional transition into the FNP role, moving into the advanced practice realm of nursing. FNPs can serve as the primary health care provider for patients. The FNP status empowers nursing professionals to take on more responsibility and do their job with greater autonomy, handling everything from performing examinations to formulating diagnoses to writing prescriptions.

During the two ceremonies, nursing faculty presented graduates with a pin denoting the nursing school from which they have graduated. Female graduates wore the white nursing cap, which has been part of the female nurse’s uniform since the early history of nursing, representing a hygienic and professional look. Today, it serves as a universal symbol of nursing care and kindness. Both ceremonies also included a blessing of the hands with anointed oil.

The graduates joined the rest of Averett’s Class of 2023 the next day to participate in the University’s Spring 2023 Commencement exercises. Photos from both nurse pinnings can be viewed here.