BCC Calls for Nursing Student Summit

Some progress to report tonight in the disagreement between Bristol Community College and the student in their nursing program.

Yesterday, we had a caller into the Rock and Fox Show looking for help to get the word out about the nursing students' struggle to retain a traditional nurses' pinning ceremony at the school.  The caller explained that ceremonies like this have been going on for over a century here in the United States.  The pinning ceremonies are steeped in tradition, with the lighting of candles and the taking of the Florence Nightengale oath.

Many nurses have described their pinning ceremonies as the light at the end of the tunnel that helped them get through nursing school.

Tonight, we have an update from the Dean of Health Sciences at BCC, Lynne Brodeur.  In an email to students, Brodeur praised the students for the fact that the SouthCoast community rallied to their aid.  "We could not be more proud of how our community has rallied behind you," wrote Brodeur.  "It has reinforced how much our nursing students are respected throughout the community. We cherish this sentiment and we cherish you."

Brodeur announced a "time for our students, faculty and the administration to come together in a collaborative effort to find a solution that will honor our students and the nursing profession...to design an inclusive pinning celebration that will honor your profession, incorporate tradition and take some new ideas into account."

The Dean stressed that students should feel free to speak their minds about the pinning ceremony without fear.  "We understand that some of you have had concerns about coming forward and we want you to know that goes against the very core values of our college. We want our nursing students’ voices to be heard while sitting together at the table without any fear of repercussion."

Interested students should contact the dean no later than Wednesday.