On May 1st, Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) held a pinning ceremony during which four Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) students from the LPN to RN Bridge program and the Generic ASN program were honored, receiving their nursing pins. The ceremony commemorates the students’ successful completion of their nursing coursework and clinical rotations. This class of nursing students will also participate in SRTC’s formal graduation ceremony and will officially be Registered Nurses (RN) pending the passage of their board exams. These prospective nurses represent the ASN program of the Tifton campus of Southern Regional Technical College. 

The students that received pins were: Zoe Dean, Amber Harper, Heather Hudspeth, and Anna Sutton.

During the pinning ceremony, which symbolizes the rite of passage into the nursing profession, each student received a pin and lights a small lamp. The pin is used to remind students of their purpose to serve the sick and infirmed. The lighting portion of the ceremony serves as a tribute to Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern-day nursing. In the 1800s Nightingale was known as the "lady with the lamp," tending to the sick while carrying a lamp to light the way. At the ceremony, students also recite the Nightingale pledge stating their dedication to upholding the standards of being a nurse.

“This was an incredible group of students that will make excellent nurses.  It was an honor to have each and every one of them in my class this semester.  Where ever they go to work, the facility will be blessed with hard working nurses that love the profession,” commented Terry Harper, MSN, Associate of Science Nursing Faculty.

At the ceremony, students were recognized with awards for exceptional achievement during their time in the ASN program. Those awards and their recipients are as follows: Heather Hudspeth was recognized with both the Tifton Leadership Award and the Highest Exit Exam Award. The Clinical Excellence Award was given to Amber Harper.  Finally, the Nightingale Award recognized the accomplishments of Zoe Dean.

The Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program is designed to prepare students as entry-level practitioners to provide safe, effective nursing care and promote healthy transitions for diverse clients in a variety of settings. This program develops critical thinking, integrates accumulated knowledge from nursing, the sciences and humanities, and emphasizes the values of caring, accountability, responsibility and professional ethics. The SRTC ASN program has been granted approval by the Georgia Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).