PIQUA — The year 2020 has presented unprecedented challenges, making the nursing pinning ceremony held on Friday, Dec. 11, so special for the 34 Edison State Community College students who completed the nursing program.
The pinning ceremony is a time-honored tradition in which the graduate nurse is presented to family and friends as a professional who is about to practice nursing. The graduate is usually “pinned” by the faculty members who have worked with them throughout their studies. Each school has a unique pin, which serves as a symbol of the successful completion of a rigorous curriculum, which prepares its graduates to administer to the sick and injured and promote health through the practice of nursing.
Edison State President Dr. Doreen Larson commended these graduates for overcoming the challenges they faced.
“These graduates should take particular pride in achieving their goal of becoming a nurse within the uniquely difficult environment of 2020. Graduates from the Edison State nursing program have a history of career success and outstanding leadership in the field, and I am confident that this class will meet and exceed those traditional standards,” Larson said.
The pinning ceremony was held in-person with appropriate safety precautions to ensure the safety of those participating. Graduates themselves were required to wear masks and have their temperature taken as they entered the campus, and family members, friends, and supporters took turns watching graduates receive their pins from behind glass doors.
“I have had the honor of seeing these nursing graduates grow from nervous, timid new students to confident nurses. This has been an exciting journey for me to watch, and I am proud of each of them,” said Jill Bobb, program administrator of Nursing and interim dean of Professional and Technical Programs at Edison State. “I have seen firsthand the struggles they have overcome to reach their goal, and much of their success is due to their sheer determination to succeed. I wish to offer my sincerest congratulations as we honor each one of the graduates for accomplishing this significant achievement.”
While these students would now typically begin to prepare to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to become a Registered Nurses (RN), they can now work as RNs with a special temporary Coronavirus Omnibus Legislation (HB 197) Licensing Authorization, as long as they meet the requirement to sit for the NCLEX.
HB 197 is a law that authorizes the Ohio Board of Nursing to issue temporary licenses to practice as an RN or LPN to applicants who meet the remaining legal requirements, including completing a Board-approved nursing education program and criminal records check. The HB 197 temporary licenses issued to those who have not passed the NCLEX will be invalid as of March 2, 2021, and will not be issued beyond Feb. 28, 2021.
Edison State Community College is proud to recognize the following nursing graduates: Hanna Boerger, of Fort Loramie; Teri Brewster, of Piqua; Paige Chaney, of West Milton; Shelbey Dowler, of Hollansburg; Logan Eichman, of West Alexandria; Danel Hare, of Covington; Brooke Harpest, of Troy; Ashley Heater, of Piqua; Taylor Hoke, of Englewood; Maddi Homan, of Sidney; Myra Iiams, of Huber Heights; Megan Jess, of Piqua; Jammie Kaeck, of Sidney; Bethany Karg, of Jackson Center; Keith Knutson, of Urbana; Stephanie Lewis, of Sidney; Josie Mallery, of Troy; Ashley Morris, of Tipp City; Cheyenne Paiva, of Englewood; Abbi Putman, of Conover; Ty Raterman, of Sidney; Tonya Ridley, of Dayton; Rebekah Robbins, of Greenville; Stephanie Roberts, of Dayton; Megan Schmehl, of St. Marys; Mackenzie Schulz, of Quincy; Katilyn Schwaiger, of Englewood; Brittany Seals, of Lima; Victoria Smith, of Bradford; Natalie Snyder, of Ludlow Falls; Aubrey Stephens, of DeGraff; Jane Foster Wheeler, of Sidney; Carly Whitaker, of Lewisburg; and Chealsy Yeagle, of Greenville.
Edison State Community College’s nursing program has maintained full accreditation and approval throughout its history. In 2018, the Ohio Board of Nursing granted Edison State’s Associate of Nursing Degree program a full five-year approval. In 2019, the program earned an eight-year continued accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), the highest level a program can receive.
Applications for Edison State’s Registered Nursing program are currently being accepted for the Fall 2021 semester. For more information about the program, visit www.edisonohio.edu/programs.
