Jefferson Medical College School of Nursing - Nosokomos Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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History of the Class of September, 1933 ACK in September, 1930, we all wanted to be nurses. We came to Jefferson. The exact date was not signifi- cant, nor the new experiences which we had those first few weeks. What was significant was the fact that we had left our relatives, friends, and home, to take up a profession which would mean much to others, and to ourselves. Being a nurse meant giving and taking. Many of us learned that giving meant sacrificing and hard work, but a feeling of satisfaction, nevertheless. Our first days on duty were memorable ones. Of course, we blundered! And it was not the scrubbing and cleaning which fills our thoughts of those days- rather it was being allowed to actually do something important, take a temperature or give a bath under the supervision of a wise senior, or being entrusted to some humble errand. We passed through these days, spending most of our time in class. We dreaded anatomy and drugs and solutions, I think, most of all. We simply couldnft pronounce words correctly for Miss Shoemaker and when we tried to do our decimals, it was really tragic. If we ever acquire any of the qualities of Florence Nightingale in the years to come, we can truly say that it has been because the endurance powers of Miss Shoe- maker have indeed been great. They were tested to the utmost in those early days. We had our first holiday season away from home. Many of us tried not to weaken, but others did weaken! Off duty, we were just like other nurses-always sleepy and hungry, and, sorry to say, we haven't changed a bit. Twenty-two After four months and after several changes on duty in the wards, we waited to be capped.', This meant much more than the word implies, and only those who have gone through that experience will ever know what we experienced. At last, we were real nurses-accepted into the realm of professionalism. This meant greater responsi- bilities, harder work, a little more sacrificing, but a feeling of being able to accomplish something. Private duty and night duty were simply breath-taking for sev- eral days. We learned to breathe deeply, and keep calm, and expect the worst, but always be prepared. We will never forget some of those experiences- each girl has some particular incident which she will never forget, and which will always be a source of amusement to her. Complications arose many times when it came time to go to class, and many times after we arrived there. However, we finished up our Junior classes with a bang and got ready for vacation time. We left for home, never thinking in three weeks we would have to return. But, do you know, those three weeks passed and we were back ready to get into uniform again and wondering just where we would go on duty? Jefferson had taught us a lot that first year- we learned among other things that there is a certain satisfaction in knowing how to help others and how to interpret their needs. Our second year was a short one. Additional classes, 7.10 lectures, private duty, night duty, ward duty all mixed together. It was a big year for us. Some of us went to Pine Street and did not have a

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Class of September, 1933 an-.Y 50 'UYQHI X T ty

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S00 IN chance to weaken that year because we had time off to get home for Christmas. How we did enjoy those meals at Pine Street--a real tablecloth, with griddle cakes and syrup for breakfast, and real fried eggs. Eleven- thirty passes were indeed ideal for those with social en- gagementsv but this only lasted six short weeks. Came the spring and with it the usual symptoms, classes over, vacations starting again, ten o'clock hours, and warm weather. Came September and we were Seniors! We cooked, stewed, fried and baked in Diet Kitchen, or rather en- deavored to. Some succeeded, some did not. Despite this failing, we all had our turn at putting parsley and cherries on everything imaginable, trying to remember just what went on the next tray, and pushing the food truck in Metabolic Kitchen. Clinic meant much more. It meant being able to set up for an emergency, and not contaminating your- self, giving sutures, a certain length, soaked just right, at the right time, in the right way to a certain chief, giving sponges at a temperature far too uncomfortably warm,counting,counting,counting,hoping that the sponge count would be correct. It was a marvelous training in being able to do the right thing at the right time. On call, we combed our hair before going to bed, so that when the telephone rang we could save that much time in getting over to the hospital. It was a great life- for some it did not last long enough, for others too long. Maternity was initiating us before we knew it. We will never forget those experiences on night duty when the rest of the world was supposedly calm and peaceful. Things buzz there twenty-four hours a day, but we liked it, and missed the excitement of it when we left. As Seniors, we had made many friends. We began to count the months, then the days until we would be leaving Jefferson. Then we got together and planned our parties and our Year Book. We had the coopera- tion and support of everyone, and in our optimistic mo- ments we made great plans. ' We had our Valentine Dance in the Nurses' Home. It was a real success. Then we tried to elect Franklin D. Roosevelt into the Presidency one evening with straw votes. fThe class is still divided on that one issue- Republicanism versus Democracyl. Our banquet at the Roof Garden, Hotel Adelphia, was our outstanding social event. Gradually the days are drawing closer when we will be passing on our responsibilities to other girls. We have enjoyed those responsibilities, they made us work but we are the better for it. We are looking forward to being white nursesf' literally, figuratively. And, we, the class of '33, will soon acknowledge to the world our willingness to under- stand all peoples, and to help them. Twenty-three