Calgary General Hospital - In Cap and Uniform Yearbook (Calgary, Alberta Canada)

Page 51 text:

Gauze Room GAUZE ROOM BLUES The morns arc dark and dreary, When we stagger, rather weary. To our posts throughout the hospital, you see. But the place that keeps us snoring And by far the one most boring Is the position of the Gauze Room, you ' ll agree? First we argue over time slij And who ' s to make the war And when that ' s settled we Sorting covers by the score And then filling them once Knowing all the while our Then a full hour after, (We are on hour dafters!) We ' ve covers filled and pu Someone to the O.R. goes By the Autoclave she stow Our little cart which shows Then when coffee time dra We all shed a little tear Room for a while; We have a ripping time (Gee, this one ' s hard to rhyme!) Making all the various covers the right size With that stamping that you hear We make “4 x 4 ' s” and EAR , Laps , 8 x 4 ' s , COMPRESS GAUZE and EYI These finished we’ve a hunch That it ' s time to go to lunch So gaily to the Dining Room we go! And then our Hours off . . . (’Til we think we’ve had enough!) Then back we plod with steady step—but slow! Again, we visit every ward Collecting covers by the hoard And sort and fill them ' til our work is done. Then we clean up spic and span’’ Empty the old garbage can; And at seven o ' clock we drop the keys, and run! You may think tis easy life But you know not half the strife That goes on in those four walls ' til you ' ve been ther You’ll need it in small doses — Otherwise you ' ll find you’ll tear your hair! —Ruth Ragg, 1947.

Page 50 text:

Third West We have now reached the top of the second flight of stairs and womens’ surgical extends to both right and left but let us first turn to the right and see Third West. 359! What is that in the large frame with all those pulleys and ropes and heavy bags? Oh! That’s a Balkan Frame extending some poor patient’s broken leg. Over there? A probationer is staying with a patient who has just returned from the Operating Room. These patients are never left until they completely regain con¬ sciousness because careful vigilance is necessary in re¬ gards to color, pulse, respiration and intravenous medi¬ cation. All along the left side are the private and semi-private rooms. On the right we see the Kitchen where the? trays are set up and the food is dished piping hot, this way to appeal to the greatest extent to our patients’ dim¬ inished appetites. The desk—the little work slip under the mica, the chart cupboard with every chart in its place, and the order book checked and carried out. The medicine cupboard—the blanket cupboard kept neatly by the Probies,—the dress¬ ing room ready for immediate use, and our twenty bed ward are all part of Women’s Surgical Third West.

Page 52 text:

Third East Now let us turn to Third East. The type of patients here are similar to those we have just seen on 3W, but the floor is only half the size. Let us stop for a minute in the kitchen— Food cart, toaster, shelves with trays. Hmmm! What’s on this tray? Potato puff, sliced chicken, creamed celery. It is good and hot! Yes, Mrs. -will like that. At the desk, all the work is organized. Each patient ' s prescriptions are carefully filled out and fluids, drainages, medicines accurately charted. That is the lock cupboard and inside are the clothes and some linen tucked away for a rainy day. On the right hand side of this corridor are the semi-rooms and on the left side are the general wards. At the end of these we see the neatly kept linen cupboard—sheets, gowns, spreads, etc. The hopper room with clean smelling basins and rows of pans. You must see our cheery look¬ ing private rooms at the other end. Due to the thoughtfulness of our supervision, the patient’s comforts, likes and dislikes are always considered. Fifty-two