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

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The C-ist of It HAVE you ever stopped by the side of a lake on a gray day - when the clouds are ash heaps of wood ashes? Under the leaden skies the water as gray as a bird's wing, but still, absolutely without a ripple. Then, as the cloud above decided to share its jest, its courage, its faith, its life, the surface of the water began to move. Ripples fairly ran in shudders from bank to bank. Gradually these ripples began to break and then to flash in broken lines like the fluff of sails. Little waves be- gan to splash against the shore. The sky changes its complexion - there shone out fields of pale blue. This blue courage and hope was caught by the water, which in turn seemed to fairly bubble with new energy, with new consciousness of life. The only joy in life is the joy of giving. This cloud had given its best to the lake. The fundamental motive of Social Service is that of sharing. This is not a new idea but is always taking on new aspects. Life is so vivid, so changing, so con- fusing but also so creative, that one desires to make the most out of it while here. Emerson has said that the way to mend the bad world is to create the right world. How can this be done? What must be used in this recreation? First of all knowledge, then faith and cour- age. These three things were demonstrated by the cloud with the lake. They are most unhappy who dare to bury within themselves the thing which some one else needs more than they do. The only way to keep the sparkle in life is to share, not grudgingly nor sparingly, but to reduce one's own needs to a minimum so that there might be more to share. Social Service is a study in sharing. The particular place of each one in society is determined by his rela- tionship to the other members of the group. Those known to the Social Worker are maladjustments. They have come because there is something unusual and a need for intermediary service. There is in each one Fifty-four of these the possibility of regulating the misfit human inter-relation to one of more complete harmony and unity. How deftly this must be done! We must not block our own kicks. A well-defined technique must be used but great care should be taken that in the use of this technique no one suffers. There is such a thing as paralysis of analysisf, The centipede was happy quite Until the frog for fun Asked, Which leg comes after which? It threw him into such a fright And raised his mind to such a pitch That he lay distracted in a ditch, Not knowing how to run. Though off our theme upon which we were asked to write, may we add this word -- How often we have seen busy nurses sharing, doing unrecorded acts of help- fulness absolutely apart from the requirements of their professional duties. This has been especially true of many of the girls in this particular class. They gathered together in the fall of the year When the air was all pregnant with life, In a service house by the side of the road A goodly company of girls. Upon a pilgrimage they were bent And felt that they by Cod had been sent To prepare themselves his people to serve, And from their purpose they would not swerve Though the road ahead was all steep and long With trials and burdens quite heavy to be borne. They kept their eyes on the task complete Never allowing themselves to know defeat. To the yield of the world they are going out to serve May their lives be benedictions, their presence light. ESTELLE A. WASSON, Director, Social Service Department -.W -

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Occupational Therapy Department CCUPATIONAL Therapy has been defined as any activity, mental or physical, definitely prescribed and guided for the distinct purpose of contributing to and hastening recovery from disease or injury. Occupational Therapy for over a hundred years has been used for the treatment of mental patients, and for quite a long time in the rehabilitation of the blind and crippled. lt received a fresh impetus in the latter direc- tion during and after the World War. Since the war, Occupational Therapy has spread into the General Hos- pitals, where its use is manifold, in the treatment of orthopedic cases where certain muscles and parts are exercised for certain results, and also in the treatment of long time cases wheretrecreation, change of environment and change of mental outlook through occupation will hasten recovery from illness and injury. Its applica- tion will make the chronic patient more comfortable physically as well as mentally and often improve his condition. Certainly the creation of a pleasant lnental attitude, the stimulation of interest and the feeling of worth-while-ness which results from any work satis- factorily done has a distinct advantageous result on the patient and is one of the basic aims of Occupational Therapy. It is generally conceded that a sick man suffers a mental let-down and is below the state of mind of the normally healthy person. Take a man with a broken leg, forced to lie in bed, apparently amused and with plenty of friends to entertain him. He soon misses the routine of accustomed daily life and his physical in- activity weighs upon him mentally, thereby interfering with his appetite, digestion and excretions. The physical inactivity produces physiological changes and discontent appears with its train of evil results. Occupational Therapy by giving the patient an interest outside him- self as much physical exertion as he can stand, counter- acts the evils of discontent and inactivity. There is also the patient to be considered who 'len- joys his illnessi' and does not want to get well. This condition may become so marked as to become a psychosis. Frequently, by the use of graded activities and occupations, such a patient may be brought to a realization of his capabilities and thereby make a bet- ter adjustment to life. Since 1923 Occupational Therapy has had its place in Jefferson Hospital. In the beginning the work was done entirely by volunteers and they used as their head- quarters the little room beside what is now our Alcove Shop. Then, on September the first, 1928, the new and thoroughly modern Occupational Therapy Depart- ment on the eighth floor, opened its doors. Through the generosity and interest of Mrs. ,lohn C. Martin, Chairman of the Occupational Therapy Committee, we were given the beautiful rooms we now occupy, after struggling along in the one small room on the first floor. There the work was confined mainly to sewing and a small amount of basketry, the books and maga- zines which were also carried to the bed patients by the workers and volunteers. Since the day of opening here on the eighth floor, they have been able to carry on most adequately the various arts and crafts, both in the shop and in the wards. The equipment is very fine and the patients derive a great deal of pleasure and benefit from being able to workvin such ideal surroundings. The library, which consists of many books in many languages, is very much in demand. Each year they have been closer to the goal of being self-supporting, and now in 1933 they can see a very satisfactory report as to the finances. The Easter and Christmas sales were both supported generously by the nurses and doctors, and they have made the sales of the work of the patients a real success. E. M. PARRY ANNE Heisman Fifty-three

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A Tour Through the Hospital E hope that this tour through Jefferson. will prove inter- esting as well as acquaint you with the associations and activi- ties of the hospital as we the members of the class of 33 have seen them. ' We will go to the 16th floor of the annex and begin ou-r tour by first inspecting odd shaped and peculiar looking speci- mens which are being preserved for future use either experimental or study. Many studies and experiments are made in this de- partment but are too deep for us to understand unless we are especially trained along this line. A group of people well wrapped in blankets and seated in wheel chairs greet us on the 15th fioor. The roof-garden en- ables convalescent patients to be exposed to sunlight and fresh air without being disturbed by the noise and commotion of the street. The library on this fioor affords reading material as their favorite pastime. I Ghost-like figures clad in gowns, masks and caps make us believe we are in a haunted house but in reality we are only in the operating room on the 14th fioor. Scenes in all operating rooms are similar. Many of we nurses find clinic extremely fascinating while others dislike it very much. Regardless of which group we belong to we are all grateful for the fact that neither the walls nor the equipment are capable of speaking. Without a doubt we all spend many embarrassing moments in clinic. The remainder of the 14th floor is occupied by quarters which we can not describe but by the stories sometimes related to us we feel certain many pleasant hours are spent there by our residents. While touring the star, 12th, 11th, 10th, 9th, and 8th floors the serene beauty, the professional dignity, the extreme quietness-and the never-failing neatness we particularly note. Each floor consists of nineteen rooms with the exception of the eighth floor which is constructed of semi-private rooms, a kitchen, a utility room, a rest room and office. If the walls and furnish- ings of these rooms were to relate the happenings that have oc- curred within, we know they would be interesting, entertaining and amusing for they house representatives of all professions of people of all walks of life. Q The clanging of dishes, rustling of aprons and hurrying of feet are heard as we approach the 7th fioor. Where all dining rooms and kitchens are located. The only kitchen which is a part of our work on this fioor is the metabolic kitchen, the workshop of each nurse for three weeks. During this time she shows her ability at cooking which many times isn't so skillful as it might be. We learn the value of foods and the importance of serving the right food at the right time. The magnetic power that the dining room holds for us may be appreciated only by witnessing the grand parade at meal time. Some of our resi- dents, druggists and the housekeeper reside on this fioor. We will cross to the old building and ascend to the eighth floor, where the home of instructions for convalescing patients is situated. Many useful and valuable articles are made in the line of carving, weaving, etc., under the direction of the work- ers of the occupational therapy. Adjoining the occupational therapy is another room of the haunted house. It is in this operating room that private cases from the old building are done. The majority of us thoroughly enjoy our training in the Children's Ward, in spite of the fact that we are not expected to show partially among our patients. It is in this department that we find ourselves being traitors to this tradition regardless of how hard we struggle against it. The sixth floor, one consisting of private and semi-private rooms, is the floor where all student nurses are sent when sick- ness overtakes them. May we take this opportunity to thank Miss Lewis for her kindness and many deeds she has done to make us comfortable when we are ill. We meet a group of nurses, who seem to be very busily occupied and under a tension and they probably are for we are on the fifth floor, one similar in construction to the sixth fioor. The girls usually feel well repaid for their hardship as the experience received on the fifth fioor many times is responsi- ble for guiding them through difficult situations later in training. Again we hear the clattering of dishes in the fifth fioor diet kitchen. The foods are prepared for the patients on the fifth and sixth floors in the kitchen. We usually enjoy the six weeks spent in the diet kitchen as domestic science holds a certain amount of interest for every girl. A humdrum of voices, and carriages along the walls greet us as we enter the surgical ffourtht floor. We notice one nurse placing stockings and cap on a patient as she is preparing him for the operating room usually situated on the fourth floor. We learn the pre and post-operative care of surgical cases on Fifty-five