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A nursing pin is a type of badge, usually made of metal such as gold or silver, which is worn by nurses to identify the nursing school from which they graduated.

They are traditionally presented to the newly–graduated nurses by the faculty at a pinning ceremony as a symbolic welcome into the profession. Most pins have a symbolic meaning, often representing the history of the nursing program for that school of nursing.

The ancestor of the nursing pin badge is the Maltese Cross. Some significant historical contributors to the foundation of hospital standards involved in using the Maltese cross were the Knights Hospitaller and Order of Saint Lazarus, pioneers of communicable disease care, such as leprosy, syphilis, and other chronic skin diseases during their period, and established one of a few hospitals in the territories of their reign.

As the Renaissance period progressed, the use of the symbol has evolved into family coat of arms, then given to those who were providers of exclusive services.

Such pin badges were then awarded to nurses who were needed by society during periods of spread of uncontrolled illnesses during the early period, and to recognize them as nurses who are educated, trained and experienced in the said field.

The Nursing Pin Badge

A nurse's pin badge from a nursing school, given to nursing graduates of their school's pinning ceremony.

Nurse's pins today

Modern designs of nurses' pin badges have evolved through time. The Maltese cross, in some nursing educational institutions, has not been incorporated in their pins.

Instead, their own seal or logo, such as that of their nursing school, nursing organization or university affiliation is used. The pin badge is still worn as part of nurses' uniforms today, in such cases, before or even after they graduate from their respective nursing schools and work for medical institutions, such as hospitals and health and wellness centres.

Baron Vassiliev, a 19th-century Knight Commander of the Knights Hospitaller, bearing a badge with Maltese Cross design.