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

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, ller imiclt consicleralion, palicnl sent to the O.R. I if ' re slie cncounlcrecl snaps, retractors, medical students and abrupt surgeons. However, she seemed to enjoy the experience and to d ' elop further her sense ol humor. Summer was liol and much amusement was pro idetl lor tin patient — Irecpient heacli parties, occasional informal dances, tlie .June fori7ial, concerts on tlie Esplan ade Iretieath the clear, starlight summer sky, sailing on the Charles Riser, and picnics at Lincoln. All of tl lese occupations helped her to relax, forget the heat, and obtain a certain peace of mind. September — I )ecemf)er. IQiy. Pediatrics. orking wi th children gas ' e her a did erent perspective on her disease. Improsed were her |)owers of ohsersation. her knowledge ol child psychology, an d I ler self-confidence. September 5. IQ4Q brought realization that onh ' one more year was recpiired to complete the course of study. Patient receiv(‘d her white hand, symbol of seniorits. Luring the fall, her spare tiirn was filled will) fudge and brownie sales, re- hearsals for the Minstrel Show, plans for WAlcott dances, to -making for the Christmas haztiar. and frerjuent dates for football games and parties. And once again came tlu ' Christmas ce lehrat ions, last minute shopping and caroling on Beacon Hill. January— Septe mher. I J5(). W ' ith eight months to go, the patient seems in ex- cellent spirits, at times slightK ' euphoric, and occasionally very tired. On the whole her condition is good, for she has received the satisfaction for which she was search- ing, and in addition has accpiired poise, tact, cuid an incorrigible sense of humor. ow she is hurrying through specialty studies and tests, on to the next and last ste)7 in her plan of care — student assistant in arious departments throughout the hospital. Whth that behind her. she will he ready for discharge, bolstered by such important therapy as lu‘r Senior Bam(uet. her Senior Formal. Commencement exercises on the Bulliiuh lawn, the Baccalaureate ser ice. and fiiui lly that last morning when she will change from the tired ‘ checks to the glistening white of tlx ' graduate nurse and once again look in the mirror to see her head crowned with her daintv black-handed cap and her uniform complem ‘nted liN’ the blue and gold .MCI I pin. Tl ten otd ’ will her cure he comph ' te. Date t l discharge: Septendjer 3. 1030. Operation: None. Treatment: 3 years extensive stud and tests. .- dmission diagnosis: Acute desire to nurse. Final diagnosis: Chronic desire to nurse. Prognosis: Fxcelh ' nt. Janet Pat B. [ 18 ]

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foreifjn ohjecls in heels, and yelling noisily. Outhurst suggestive of manic phase counteracting depression after posting residls of first month s stay. Xo end)er I. IQ47. Disturbed state abated. Patient has settled down again for seeond monthly tests. Seems less worried. Decendrer 19. 1947. New clothing in form ol blue unilorms, with white aprons. C reat improvement in patients morale. December 24-29, 1947. Pcitient well enough to go home for Christimis holidays. Returned with new enthusiasm, and realization that first and hardest course of study was almost over. .Ianuar - 12-20, 1948. Hardest period since admission. Profound an.xiety, in- somnia, compulsion to sjrend all time studying text hooks. Best treatment seems to he in form of written and irractical tests which are followed by immediate relief of sym))toms. •January 26. 1948. 8:00 Symptoms ol excitement — glowing faces, proud smiles, straighter hacks. Immediate cause: Capping! Treatment: ? lad dash for nearest mirror. March 18. 1948. Final achievement in first course of treatment — Bibbing! Patient at last feels as part of hospital family. Now able to look hack on first six months and laugh at the many frightening moments and still more hilarious situations — .Janet s broken vase, the wounded staircase that needed bandaging, the Santa Claus who mysteriously appeared on the Charles Street mirror at night and disappeared during the day, and New Year s Fve blind dates. 1st- DOS ' I O Tt e: 1 — CH ' C V IgReEiO ' Vl2Goa )S ' ' D srofvrcH T« e‘ PP? April 19, 1948. Checks! At last! Patient seems h appy and satisfied. March— September, 1948. Experience on medical and sur- gical wards, diet kitchen and first grappling with relief and night duly. Pcitient enthusiastic, becoming accustomed to the idiosyncrasies of doctors, whims of supervisors, and directness of head nurses. Handling all new situations with poise, tact, and good thinking. Do ing well in most of studies, d his period broken up by a three-week trip home, f atient returned rested, ha)jpy. and eager to begin her second year. Se|3tember — Decendjer, 1948. Patient off to B.1..I. Another new outfit in the addition of headgears and smothering masks. Experience with unexijected deliveries, secret smoking, super isors, Anderbilt Hall, an d the f ire door. Patient ke))t odd hours, often getting little sleep, but seemed to thrive on the extracurricidar atmosphere. Decendier, 1 948— January, 1949. Several weeks back at the General. ! Iemo- rable due to a four-week night duty (ho-hum!). Christmas candlelight service the Christmas lormal. an d Cl iristmas itself — a white one. January — April. 1949. dication in the country — NlcLean! It was decided that the patient needl ' d a few months of fresh air. Never to be forgotten will be the keys, ammonia and |)ine oil scent, the coffee shop, sports and the informal dances. Patient s corwalescence hastened by this treatment, and she reluctantly came back to the city. May — Seirtember, 1949. Patient thought well enough to be sent home for another three w ' eeks. Change did much good. Patient returned to the General rested and pleased at the prospect of being near the last lap of her treatment. C 17 }

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’51 (Slaii February 11 , 1918 September 5, 1948 Dear Mom and Dad, Dearest Hilda, My first week in training is actually over, and vvbat a packed one it bas been! Rigbl after I sent the telegram from North Station 1 met four other girls who were trying to get a taxi to the hospital, so eve all rode there together. W asked the driver for the Charles Street Nurses Dormitory. We un- loaded our luggage and found tliat we were at the Eye and Ear Infirmary Nurses Home. Three blocks later we finally found 92 Charles Street. My room is on the fifth floor. No elevator. 1 he rooms are large and I share mine with a student from New Hampshire. Imogene and 1 went to tea to- gether and met very many interesting people. Before sup])er one of the instructors di- vided us alphabetically into sections, gave us meal-tickets, and told us that we could eat up to $1.40 worth of food each day. That ev’ening our big sisters took us out for sodas. I guess they enjoyed some interesting ex- periences at Charles Street, as one ran see from the stories which they tell. It certainly was a trying ordeal to arise at six o clock the next morning — our first day ns student nurses. We had to he in our dressy grey uniforms and at the hospital at 6: 50 . .M. for ro II call and inspection. The supervisors and instructors gave us the traditional cootie” party that night, and it was really loads of fun. I guess it s just one of those games which require skill be- cause the instructors seemed to draw the funniest cooties . There s more excitement coming. A minstrel show, the June Eormal. — the MCiTi Pops, and the caj ping on June 21 are all on the coming agenda. We ve spent the rest of the week getting lost in the maze of tunnels at J IOH, trying to find our classes, labs, and the lodge. East night our big sisters gave a party just for us. There were skits, singing, games, and we certainly enjoved every minute of it. See you this weekend. Eoads of love, Liz I received your most welcomed letter in the morning mail. You must he having a wonderful time at college. W all got ter- rific Ians this summer on the roof and at the beaches near here. W spent many a Jid ’ evening on the esplanade, listening to the lioston Pops Orchestra no less. We (“ven went sailing occasionally. Do ou realize that we re no longer proh- ies? A new class came in a week ago and do our new caps feel swish! We had a fcishion show the other night to raise money for the yearbook. I wish you coidd ha ’e been here — the clotl les were ter- rific. Before the modeling some of the girls sang, jjlayed the piano, etc. The strangest thing happened, though. There was only one man in the audience! that as long as I live. Every other week we have informal dances in Walcott f loust in living room, and I m going to he sure to he there this Eriday. E ’eryone has so much fun. ! Til never understand UJE (-lAO 3f-)OCJE(Tsi’ I must sign off now. I m going on a picnic at Lincoln. I hat s a small town not far from here, where i IGH has a beautiful con- valescent home. Hurriedly, Imogene December 20. 1948 Dear Mom and Dad. I m a little late with my weekly letter. Johnnie has probably told you all about the Christmas formal. By tradition our class sponsored it. W really did ourselves proud on the decorations. It was a wonderful dance and we were given a one o’clock privilege. I jz and 1 event to the Nursing School Office this afternoon for tickets for the play. [ 19 ]