Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing - Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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April — Began plans for our graduation, yearbook, pictures, banquet and formal. June ig — Measured for checks ... at last. June jo — Having our pictures taken in whites. July 4 again — Our independence is in sight. July 5 — We are seniors today. . .one more year to go celebrated with a picnic at Lincoln. July 16 — We can wear our checks now . . .goodbye blues. These are but a few of the incidents that have taken place during our student days at M.G.H. We have all had our moments of disappointment and hours of fun. We wish to thank our instructors, supervisors, head nurses and fellow students for all that they have done for us. Good luck, everyone. The main events of three years of train- ing are usually reminisced about in the frequent gatherings in the room of any of the student nurses, usually the nurse who has just received a box from home and who has an extra package of cigarettes. Under the influence of a few dozen cokes, the tongues are loosened and the babble begins. Remember the day we came — Sep- tember 4, 1945? Some of us found that we lived on the upper floors of 92 Charles while others lived at Thayer House where there was actually an elevator!! Then we all went to Walcott house for tea where we met the instructors and supervisors of the school of nursing. They all seemed so friendly and glad to have us in their school. Remember the mornings we trudged up Charles Street when it was still dark be- cause of the early hour and the sleet and rain, dropped our wraps and rubbers (the first rainy morning only) and ran down the ramp to roll call? A last minute rush to change an answer in the papers we had all done together the previous evening, preceded the lineup for inspection. Many the thankful prayer for black stockings on which to give our shoes a last minute shine. Then we hurried through endless corridors to breakfast which was mostly a discussion of what was expected to happen that day and whether in the procedure for making an empty bed you started making it by standing on the left or on the right. While working on the wards we gazed with wonder at the ease with which the procedures were carried out by the older nurses. We pretended indifference to their laughing glances as they noticed our apron-less uniforms. How many bedside tables, beds and floors did we clean? But remember THE impersonations, the pancake parties, the first Hallowe’en [26]

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October 4-October 16 — More procedures and observations . . . we are really learning what it takes to be a nurse. October ig — Having finals. October 20 — Second nursing care study due today. . .everyone looked as though they had had a good night’s sleep. October 2g — Anatomy final today; what did you put for that answer to question 100. . .“Where and what is the “orpcula- ris palprebrarum?” October 30- Our last TCR inspection — fine, except that someone forgot to dust the light switch. November - -Had a history of nursing final and a nursing monthly. . .what a discouraging day. November 4 Winter is here ... bridge is becoming one of our favorite indoor sports. November 3— Repeated our fourth nurs- ing monthly. November 16 — Party at Marcia Wade’s. Much fun. November ig — Medicine pouring on the ward . . . thought we knew that patient’s name but somehow, Mr. Jones got Mr. Brown’s octavites. November 22 — Can now give penicillins. November 23 Thanksgiving clay. . .we can be thankful that our Probie days are over. November 27— Enjoying the snow. . . having riotous times on the second, third and fourth floor alleys in Thayer. December 1-25 — Plans for the Christmas formal, candlelight service, etc . . . the closets are not big enough to hold our secrets well. Merry Christmas, dear diary. December 23 — Our first Christmas here . . .Santa was really good to us. . .enjoyed helping patients observe Christmas. December 31 — New Year’s eve and new bibs. January 1, 1346 — Lots of resolutions. January o- Excursions to Pendergast Preventorium. . .tea around the fireplace. February 4 — Beginning of our first vaca- tion. Such time-consuming plans made by all to sleep all three weeks getting up only to eat. February 24 - Back from vacation. . .full of vim and vigor, it says here. March 7 — New classes beginning. . . more “ologies.” April 13 — Midterms and midnight oil. May g — First aid final ... finally know the art of artificial respiration. May 13 — Here we come, OR. June 23 — Esplanade concerts and mos- quitoes have arrived hand in hand. July 4 — Anniversary of our country’s independence. . .we are still waiting for ours. July 3 — Our first anniversary. . .only two more years to go. September 2-December 3— Began our BLI affiliation . . . had a taste of delivery, block relief and very quiet night duties. December n — Vacation time again. . . made it home for Christmas this year. February , March, April, May, June and July 1347- -First group went to McLean . . . home was never like this .... The girls have also made the rounds of pediatrics, Eye and Ear and Haynes. [25]

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and that night when a tub of water ac- cidentally splashed on two of the members of our class standing in the doorway bidding a final goodnight to their friends. But do you remember the day when we were capped? For a week after we would forget the added height of the cap and bump it against every Balkan frame. But now that we were capped we could give “I.M.’s.” Will you ever forget the first one you gave to that emaciated patient? Now, too, there was a class of probies behind us who would actually hold doors open for us in respect for our being older students. Some one says that she remembers the day she was bibbed much more easily because soon after she had her first night duty. With the first night duty came the realization that one could work all night without falling asleep. However, the numerous cups of coffee helped. Time certainly seemed to pass quickly. The days were filled with classes and ward work and the evenings never seemed long enough to discuss all that had happened during the day, to take long enough walks, to drink enough coke. Remember, though, the nights we poured cold water on the unsuspecting victims in the tub, made endless “pie beds,” sewed up all the pajama sleeves and legs, decorated rooms with yards of rolled paper and in general did anything to surprise the unwary per- son? A slight pause usually follows while everyone thinks a moment about that first year which at times seemed forever, but which in reality was only 365 days. The second year was different. In the aftermath of the celebrations of the ending of our first year, our class became sepa- rated. Some went to Haines, some to Mc- Lean, others to Eye and Ear and some to dear old B.L.I. Will you ever forget the wonder of your first delivery? How quiet those nurseries could be in the middle of the night. Of course, there was fun too. Remember the dance, the blind dates, the Saturday night serenades, and the fare- well party?? Back at the General again we slowly progressed by working at specialties such as the O.R. and pediatrics. Our experi- ences included long and upsetting searches for the lost sponge (later found in the nurse’s scrub gown) and our sudden sur- prised feeling when the io-year-old first night post-op, came down the corridor to meet us carrying his I.V. flask and trailing his suction tubing. Remember all this time how we were still wearing our blue uniforms which now were mostly thread- bare and patched, but still we had high hopes of receiving our checks. The numerous strokes of the jail house clock is a sudden reminder that ’tis late. Cigarettes are crushed, the empty box from home is pushed into the waste basket and the coke and milk bottles are strewn about the room left to be cleaned up in the morning. It’s almost another day, and who knows exactly what will happen in a student nurse’s day that will be a laughing mem- ory in some future evening? [27 ]