General Chat

Who had to move rooms every time they did night duty.
We had to go to the top floor so we were not disturbed while we slept!

We didn`t do that.
But remember having knitting or crocheting in with me on nights and once had crochet squares all around my chair - must have been sewing them together when Night Sister walked in!!!
Ros xx

Hi Joan, yes we are part of the bone donation programme, seems quite successful too!

Egg white and oxygen --eeee those were the days!! lol

Carol x

I was making beds with newly trained staff the other day and they were amazed that I checked the seams and crease folds on the sheets before I put them on the beds. I do it automatically so that there is enought sheet at each side and so that the crease folds 'line' up. Bottom sheet, top sheet and counterpane. Does anyone else do that, or do you not realise you are doing it?

Coming back to the nurses home in the hospital transport after night duty, huddled in my cape and red cross-over. all of us feeling sickly but euphoric.
Having a giggle before we all collapsed into bed !

Thanks girls...
I was beginning to think I had imagined the machine but you remember them Elizabeth.

It was such a traumatic experience for a tiny little girl.... had my 'mummy' taken me it would have been far easier to forget.
But soldier daddy probably thought he was doing fine!

this is a lovely thread, I am really enjoying it.

Deanna X

Joan, as you all know I am not a nurse, but I too used to do that with my flat sheets and blankets.... must have come from my mother (not a nurse either!) ;-0)

My husband used to say that it was a nightmare making a bed with me!

Deanna X

I wonder how many of us have really tidy laundry or towel cupboards.
All the folded edges to the front.

My tin cupboards are the same................like the film, 'Sleeping with the enemy'.

Enjoying this thread too, x
Start that book Ros

Remember that euphoric, tired, cold to the bones, sickly feeling - collapsing in a heap on the stairs up to the night nurses floor, too tired to move, giggling hysterically, but nobody knowing what we were laughing at.
In fact every time someone asked the question, what are we laughing at, all we did was collapse into more fits of laughter.
Think they called it night nurses hysteria.

Does anyone remember painting iodine on limbs and wrapping in green sterile towels as part of the pre-operative preparation ?

Joan now reminiscing x

Oh yes Joan-and the rest of the preping!!

I remember that awful feeling of "paralysis" on Night Duty-I cannot describe it-a feeling that you could not move but should.
Bet

Right, so which hospitals did you all train at? I trained at Mayday Hospital, Croydon.

Chester Royal and City Hospitals.

Joan I teach my new HCSW's the same way as you when making beds using the creases.

I remember too when working on a male Med ward and the old Consultant Physician had demands for his ward round
Bed tables to the right of the bed, Urinals hanging at the left of the bed. Pillows tied to the bed frame, No phone calls or talking on his round.

Some wag in the sluice put a notice up saying there had to be 30 folds in each curtain and the patient had to be sitting at 90 degree angle to the bed.

God we had some fun.

Di

Joan - Don't get me started on tidy towels etc. I like the folds to be showing and beware anyone who messes them up.

Western Infirmary , Glasgow
Queen Mother`s Maternity ,Glasgow

Brompton Hospital (now the Royal Brompton) in Central London in 1964/6 (SEN).


Love and Peace
Marianne.x

Trained at Mile End Hospital, Stepney - now part of Royal London Hospital
Was a cadet at the Royal Bucks, Aylesbury

We didn't have the 'block' system of training like a lot of hospitals. We had a 'Study Day' system. We did 4 months on days then 4 months on nights. When on days we spent one day a week in classroom.

Charing Cross Hospital(the old one in the Strand)now a Police Station!

When were you at Mayday East Point?
I worked there (SNO) about 1969-1985.
Before that at Croydon General

Bet

Lovely thread....makes me wish I had been a nurse! BC XX

Bet - I was at Mayday from 1958 to 1961.

Thanks , BC --no debates , no arguing , great thread , thanks everyone for their contributions , keep it going, Ros xx