The Pin to Success
May 12, 2017
Another class of graduates has embarked upon the tradition of crossing the stage with capped heads held high. Nursing students have a distinctive tradition: The Nurse Pinning Ceremony. This semester, MSU’s College of Nursing granted degrees to 67 Traditional BSN, 18 RN-BSN, 65 MSN, and one PhD student. MSU is proud to welcome them into the United States’ most trusted profession. Together, Spartan Nurses Will transform healthcare.
A Nursing Tradition
Florence Nightingale is credited with establishing the pinning tradition. She helped to design the pin awarded to Nightingale nurses who graduate from the King's College School in London. The pin is a symbol for educated women prepared to serve the health needs of society. Nightingale was a catalyst for this tradition that honors the commitment to be a life-long learner, an advocate for patients, and engage in continual improvement.
Throughout the years, each college of nursing has designed their own customized pin. Morrill Hall is illustrated on MSU’s pin because classes were originally held there. The graduating class of 1954 was the first class to be awarded these pins.
Whether you are the first graduating class or the Class of 2017, Dean Randolph Rasch encourages the exploration of your passion; because finding that passion will lead to success. He shares these inspiring words, “This is not the end of your nursing scholarship; it is the beginning. Maintain a healthy curiosity and explore the best approach for the problems that patients face.”
Every Patient, Every Time
Tom Mee, RN, BSN, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Greater Lansing, delivered the convocation speech.
Since high school, Mee has aspired to be a hospital CEO, and has poured his passion into the operation and expansion of several service lines. He began his clinical career as a nurse in the emergency department at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI. Through this position, he was connected to almost every department within the hospital, which gave him a broad understanding of what it takes to make a hospital run. Mee established their Pediatric Emergency Department and received numerous administrative promotions before being invited to join McLaren Lapeer Region as the hospital’s Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer in 2007.
Over the next seven years, Mee worked all across Michigan as a pivotal administrator within the McLaren Health System, before advancing to his current position. While being the CEO of a hospital is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, he draws heavily on his clinical experiences as a nurse to help him in creating a patient-centered organization.
He has a saying that describes the culture that he strives for “Every Patient, Every Time.” It is with this passion and drive for excellent patient care that he led McLaren Greater Lansing to be recognized as the top subsidiary in the entire McLaren Health System in 2015.
“Tom Mee advocates for the opportunities available to nurses, and the impact that nurses can have on patient care and the health of the public. His motto ‘Every Patient, Every Time’ is one that all of us can understand, and adopt,” stated Dean Rasch.
Under his vision, Mee will continue to improve patient care in the Lansing community. In 2016 part of that vision was realized by establishing the College’s first endowed chair with a $1.5-million-dollar donation from McLaren Greater Lansing. The Endowed Chair for Behavioral Mental Health Nursing Education will support the development of nursing competencies in this priority area related to evidence-based care and improved patient outcomes.
