This Friday (Aug. 26) 43 new nurses graduating from Spokane Community College will be celebrated in a nurse pinning ceremony from 6-8 p.m. at Center Place in Spokane Valley.
While graduation highlights the completion of academic study, the pinning ceremony marks the important transition from student to nurse and these nurses will be entering the workforce at time when nurses are in extremely high demand. And the demand is only going to increase with 19 percent of nurses nationwide being 65 years old and older. The average age of nurses in this country is 52.
“The students have no trouble finding jobs, considering just between Sacred Heart and Deaconess, there are at least 600 nursing jobs open currently,” said Samuel Clark, SCC Nursing Department co-chair. “But overall, only 60% of nurses work in hospitals, and the other 40% work in areas such as outpatient clinics, surgery centers, schools, urgent care and other specialty services.”
That demand is why SCC is expanding its nursing program this fall by 17 percent, going from 48 to 56 students in the coming fall and spring quarters. Two hallmarks of the esteemed SCC nursing program are the fact that its graduates have among the highest rate of passage of the NCLEX (nursing exam) among the nursing programs in the Spokane region and the fact that most of the SCC nursing graduates (95%) remain in the Spokane area serving their community, Clark said.
The history of the first pinning ceremonies can be traced back to the Crusades of the 12th century, the modern ceremony dates to the 1860's when Florence Nightingale was awarded the Red Cross of St. George in recognition for her tireless service to the injured during the Crimean War. Since 1916, this rite of passage has been practiced across the United States to signify someone passing into the brotherhood and sisterhood of nurses who are ready to serve society as healthcare professionals.
Everyone is welcome to attend this special ceremony and honor these new healthcare professionals. No tickets are required.