Lansing Community College nurses celebrate Pinning Day, reflect on tough semesters

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Dozens of students at Lansing Community College officially became registered nurses Tuesday. Many started classes before the pandemic, when health care looked a lot different.

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Now they’re entering a market that desperately needs them. Nursing vacancies across the United States are still up 45% from 2021, with half a million expected to quit this year. That didn’t stop these nurses from graduating.

Growing up, Cassidy Milton wanted to be a nurse like her mother, Kristen Milton. Her mother got to pin her for the pinning ceremony Tuesday -- a right of passage for nurses reaching registered nurse status.

Cassidy said the road was long and tough, but she’s proud she made it in a profession she and her mother are both proud of.

“I want her to be proud of the nursing profession because its a very noble profession. Helping people, it’s a great job.” said Kristen.

Della Uekert also graduated today. She reflected on her time working through four COVID surges at Sparrow Hospital. She said that time is what made her stick with it. She said COVID has proven just how resilient nurses are.

“We show up to work every single day and continue to work with patience even though its hard,” Uekert said. “If that group of people can continue to do that everyday, then that’s the type of people that I want to work with for the rest of my career.”

Uekert received the Florence Nightingale award, an award given by professors for outstanding nursing students.

Seika Hale also finished her semester strong. Hale said her family pushed her to the finish line even when times we tough and felt impossible.

“I just didn’t want to give up on them because they were rooting for me and they never stopped. And I have a daughter and I never want her to give up on something she wants to do.” said Hale. " They believed in me so I wanted to show them that I could do it.”

Hale graduated with her daughter standing right by her side.

Lansing Community College honored 83 nurses who were graduating.

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