Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania - Record Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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But little did we know what was coming during that last year. We were called to volunteer for foreign made. Then came the epidemic service, and practically all of our class were ready to go and our plans were of influenza, and our plans for service were brought to a standstill, for we had all we could manage at home. Ever in our hearts will remain the memory of those classmates we lost during that awful period. Maternity nursery-babies crying and babies smiling, how could we ever hold and bathe the wee kickers? Yet after the first few times it seemed easy enough, and we found ourselves striving to establish a new speed record in weighing, bathing and dressing the babes. Is it possible that we could not at first dis- tinguish between an electric light button and the emergency bell? The Night Superintendent, we are afraid, will say that this is true. 4 ' T Mingled with all this were classes, lectures and examinations, sometimes dreaded, but more or less fre- quently enjoyed. Can we ever obtain anywhere else more practical instruction than we have received here? We have not been without social gatherings. It has been our 'good fortune to attend two masquerade parties given by Miss Smith. A mock operation performed by the residents added much to the enjoyment of the last one. Our Senior Farewell Party in honor of Miss Snyder and .Miss Stephenson was one of the most enjoyable of our training. 1' Three years .have passed and the great day has arrived. The older members of our class' have already begun their careers as graduate nurses. We are no longer the Seniors, but the 4'Graduating Class. Are we glad? Yes, in a way we are, for it means a new life full of opportunities. Whatever our future may have in store for us, we shall be the better fitted to meet it because of our training-school days. But it is with a feeling of regret that we sever the ties that have bound us together as a class. As the years go by, we shall look back on our training-school days with their checkered sunshine and shadow, and recall foremost the many pleasant associations in the classroom, the ward, and the nurses' home. 62

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At this time came our first term of night duty. Now we went to bed in the morning and arose just as the sun was setting. At Hrst it seemed strange and we could not sleep, but lived over again the events of the night before, thought of what we had done and more of what we had not done. But we get used to every- thing, it is said, and after the first few weeks, night duty had no terrors for us. , Qur Hrst emergency-a woman in convulsions-and we were told to watch her. Imagine our surprise when, standing at the foot of the bed, we saw the patient wink. At first we could not understand why the innocent question ls she conscious?l' brought forth laughter. VVe were covered with confusion when told that it was the sign of a recurring convulsion. Would we ever learn? The longer we stayed, the more and more diflicult our tasks often seemed to us. We were told to pour medicines for the first time in Wfard D. Men's Medical. iBefore us were rows upon rows of bottles, large and small, Hlled with every known medicine. How were we to know that .32 meant the 5 grs. written in the order book? Will we ever forget the feeling that we might perchance give someon-e the wrong medicine, and then would come a vision of the 'fincline hike with all its consequences. At the close of each day we whis- pered a little prayer of thanks that all was well. I The Hrst day in clinic is simply chaos in our minds. Let it suHice that there we learned the essentials of sterilization, we scrubbed and scrubbed until it seemed that the most persistent ,micro-organism must surely have been scrubbed away. How we prided ourselves in scrubbing up for a chief! Not for worlds would we be the means of breaking one of the connecting links in the chain of asepsis. T - Time flies quickly when one is busy, and before we knew it we were Hin blue 'l filling the responsible 7 position of staff, making rounds with chiefs, and answering the telephone by saying, 'cYes, this is the nurse in chargef' ' 61

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False Alarm at the Mat Two of our classmates, one winter night, To take a bath Qand take, it rightj Made' up their minds, then hied away To get themselves ready for the 'Hfrayf' . The room where the Uscrub-upl' was to be wrought Was one with many memories fraught Of operations in days long ago, But now for a bathroom used, and so Into the bathroom, they rushed with glee, Laughing and singing so merrily We knew if occasion itself Would present, Someone would pay for this merriment. Fastened up on the wall quite high t A bell-cord one of the girls did spy, 'KNOW what in the world can this thing be? Let's ring it and then perhaps we shall see. As she spoke, she pressed her hand on the bell But nothing happened that they could tell, The nurses waited, thinking to hear The sound of a bell from somewhere near. ' They waited breathlessly, somewhat in doubt As to whether or not the had better et out Y E ' But all seemed serene, so with forebodings gone They once moreuindulged in merry song. 63