Williamsport Hospital School of Nursing - Oak Yearbook (Williamsport, PA)

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Grace Abramn working in the clinic area under the direction of Mrs. Neyhart. lust two steps more were to be taken in order to complete our specialties. First stop— Warren State Hospital. Weird tales from upper- classmen had aroused in us a fear of mentally ill persons although these fears quickly disappeared. We found the hospital a commu- nity consisting of approximately 3,800 patients. For example, there was a canteen, laundry, bakery, cannery, and tailor shop, just to mention a few. All of these places employed patients. We learned in our classes that this was a part of their treatment and rehabilita- tion. Speaking of classes, we had them seyeral days a week and were the) ever hard! Six weeks of our time was spent in the .Admission Building where all patients are first brought. I lere they are diagnosed and started on specific therapy. The main nursing care was supervision, psychotherapy, and interesting them in activities. The following two weeks were spent in Geriatrics. Here we gave baths from the time yve went on duty until we went off. We had heard that Geriatrics could be compared to the wards of Second South which we found partially true. At last we worked four weeks in Mitchell, the building we heard so many tales about. The 350 patients here were quite unpredictable, sometimes becoming violent. Our off duty time was spent swimming, playing tennis, and bowling. In the evenings we could be found sipping cokes down at the ever famous John ' s. All in all those thirteen weeks at Warren gave us a different o outlook on the mentally ill. It was truly a wonderful experience. Upon our return we went to work in the Emergency Room, our last specialty. Thoughts ran through our minds. Will I be able to act in an emergency ? What will I think yvhen I hear the shrill siren of the ambulance as it rushes up to the entrance? In no time at all we learned the routine of the Emergency Room under the direction of Miss Lois Flail. Also while we were here we were able to help out at the various clinics held at the hospital. ing a laceration. © a Man K. Messinger working in the Isolation Unit. 27

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Emma Beierle weighing a child upon admission. Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime. The step into Pediatrics took us into a different world all of its own. A world of tiny children ranging from infants up to twelve years of age, of flying shirttails, of cries (mostly for mommy ), of everything that goes along with childhood days, and each thing added up to a very enjoyable, educational, and inter- esting experience. We were given classes for this course by the Pediatric super- visor and doctors. During that time we had the opportunity to visit day nursery schools for the preschool child whose parents worked. We also attended the class for mentally retarded children and saw how they were taught and trained for doing useful things. The Well Baby Clinic was another spot of interest to us. Here parents who had no private doctor took their children for examina- tions, babyshots, and advice. It was for this clinic each member of our class made a stuffed animal for the children to play with while waiting their turn to see the doctor. Jo Kling reading a nursery rhyme to the before rest hour. children Jackie Burns making a child comfortable. Ginny Schmoh] feeding a child during the supper hour.

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Mrs. Cahn receiving 7-3 report from Miss Burns. Miss Evans and Man K. Messinger on 6N. Miss Neff on 3S charting. And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time. —Longfellow Unfortunately, the Isolation Unit wasn ' t opened during our senior year and therefore we didn ' t have the privilege of working there. Looking back over the different departments and floors we worked on, we can see how important a part each plaved toward our becoming graduate nurses. Moving from one place to another has helped us gain knowledge and experience in our bedside nursing, our understanding of diseases, and their treatments; as well as in the personal relationships with our co-workers, and the relationships between the different departments of nursing. We, as students, had the privilege of working six different shifts. These being straight (7:00-3:30), relief (3:00-11:00), nights (11:00-7:00), split (7:00-12:00, 4:00-7:00), the every weekend favorite split relief (7:00-11:00, 7:00-11:00), and of course bankers ' hours (10:00-7:00). On the various departments we had ward conferences where we studied the patients ' diseases and their nursing care. This especially helped the seniors in their review for state board exam- inations. Passing travs on 4N. Charting on 3N.