General Chat

Can anyone remember the awful hairy thigh lengh socks, and dreadful caps we used to put on patients before we gave them their omnpon and scopolamine pre-med? and the old drains that had to be suctioned to work? and chasing bits of mercury around the floor when a thermometer or sphyg broke!!
carol

We had a ward sister who locked the linen cupboard and we had to show her the dirty linen before we got a clean one!
She was waiting for a train crash,never happened..!

Artery forceps to clamp off blood transfusions except one poor nurse picked up a pair of scissors!

Aminophyllin suppositories to aid the breathing..........................................NOT to be inserted into the nostrils !!!!!!!!

Does anyone remember climbing in through windows kindly left open by friends after the night sister had done her round and locked the front doors?

We did day release at college as well Jean, and a night class as well!!
One week we didn't go to night school (Acker Bilk was appearing in concert - way more important than Human Biology) and the lecturer informed the matron!
We were taken to Stoke Mandeville the next day to be told off.
I got a touch of the bravado's after seeing a friend cry after her interview lol - when I was told I needed to decide if I really wanted to be a nurse a voice that to this day I don't recognise replied: Well, if I do it won't be in this hospital with you as Matron. The tutor said 'you will never make a nurse anyway'.

I very quickly put my notice into writing before they sacked me, took an office job for a year before going to London to train.

A few years later I was a Sister in London and said tutor turned up to adjudicate at the practical exams. She asked....Don't I know you? My reply, 'oh yes, you once told me I would never make a nurse' was one of those moments never to be forgotten

Standing at the sluice sink, scrubbing bedpans before they went in the steriliser, and washing out glass urine bottles. Steeping bloody linen on maternity, and having to get it all clean and ready for the laundry before the end of your shift or you did unpaid overtime.
I was a cadet at Dartford Southern hospital and we went to college for a full day every week because we were cosidered too young to have left education. We did English and biology. We also attended pre PTS lectures. Some weeks we did in Joyes Green hospital which if I remember did surgical, we did orthopaedic at Dartford. In the army I was at Basic training in Alexandra camp, Liphook, then The Cambridge Military hospital in Aldershot, where we also worked at the families hospital, the Louise Margaret, And at the Isolation Hospital. Posted then to The Millbrook hospital opposite the Tate gallery in London. I believe there are offices there now. Then to the Royal Herbert in Woolwich where I met my OH. I have since worked at Monmouth General when it was a general hospital, It has changed now. I have nearly as long a list of hospitals I have been treated in! Jean

I remember while on nights accidentally doing last offices on a patient who's religion dictated that last offices should not be performed.
Night Superintendant informed me that 'you will just have to unlay him!!'
Those of you who have performed last offices will understand what was meant lol.

As new student nurses I remember being shown by the ward sister how to sterilise fhe bedpans but when she opened the steriliser her glasses steamed up completely and we got a fit of nervous hysterics.She was by the way a real tartar.

Did my "Staffing" in Theater and we used to tie a Glove on to a tap,we knew when it was about bot burst so we would send in the student just as it was going to burst---course they couldn't scream as operation going on.

Remember the 'walnut',and the endless buckets of water for washouts.
Petrified in theatre,at only 4'10",the surgeons made me stand on a box.
I loved Casualty and Outpatients.

Last Offices as a young nurse..... yes very scary. I remember when the trained nurse left me behind the curtains with patient on his side and me holding him because she had forgotten something. longest 30 seconds of my life.

Marianne.

Two 'first time' things I remember too - first time doing 'last offices' (you all know what that was), and first time in the operating theatre. Scarey eh?

Remember the piece of soap` the size of a walnut Nurse` when making an enema. I still can not look at a walnut without remembering Sister Tutor`s voice.

Love and Peace Marianne.x

Sputum pots...we had metal ones with lids and we had to clean them out..yuk. Rather do a bedpan round.
Another new nurse joke was being send to theatre for a yard of Fallopian Tubes.

Sheets had to be turned down exactly 18".

You nasty lot...... poor students...;-0)

This is indeed a lovely thread, keep it up girls.

My aunt was a nurse trained in Scotland. 1940 ish
I have some lovely photos of her in uniform.
First with a little white starched cap, then later with one of those big 'flowy' ones... starched of course.
She also started... scrubbing floors! ;-0)
She married a doctor.. gone now though, bless her.

Deanna X

Sending students to the renal ward for a 'Bowman's capsule'.
Orthopaedics for a 'long stand'.

I bet we all fell for it
Joan x

We got up to all sorts on night duty----we as juniors were sent to scare the other wards dressing up with sheets like ghosts---we did look after the patients tho as well didn't we??

East Point
Loved passing Flatus tubes and getting a good result also doing Rectal Washouts and getting a good result back too

I don't think that the student nurses of today can have so much fun.

I can also remember the initiation ceremonies we used to have when a nurse joined or left a ward. They used to get thrown in the bath with everything you can imagine thrown in it. Or they used to get sent on wild goose chases. It was all good fun. Couldn't do it now though. Spoil sportss.

Jane