Nurses' Caps

MyraMarie · Nov 14, 2010

Oh, my email address is [email protected]. Thanks!!!!!

LovemykittyRN · Jan 15, 2011

:nurse: Just interested in how many replies you have received. I collect caps and may be able to send a few pictures to you.

Thanks

MyraMarie · Jan 19, 2011

None!!! I am so disappointed. Which caps do you have?

doggal · Feb 2, 2011

I sent you a message. Will try to grab husband's Canon to take my old Cornell-NY Hospital cap.

LovemykittyRN · Feb 7, 2011

i'm sorry - i haven't looked at this post for a while. i just now saw your comment.

i have my own cap from ohio university. i don't have a lot of caps and there are several that i don't know where they are from. however, i do have the following that i do know where they are from:

ohio university - athens, ohio

riverside methodist hospital school of nursing - columbus, ohio

aultman hospital school of nursing - canton, ohio

ohio valley general hospital school of nursing - wheeling, w. va

greenville college of nursing - greenville, s. carolina

akron hospital school of nursing - akron, ohio

u. s. air force cap

u.s. navy major's cap

potomac valley hospital school of nursing - keyser, w. va

i have one that i think is st. lukes presbyterian hospital in chicago but i need to get out some of my ancient ajn magazines and see if i can find out for sure.

i also have one that i think is from bronson methodist general hospital in michigan but, again, i'm not sure about it other than it is from a school in michigan.

let me know if you are interested in any of these.

my email address is [email protected]

FlyingScot, RN · Feb 8, 2011

Akron Hospital School of Nursing - Akron, Ohio

If this is the round pleated organdy style (might be called a "Bellevue Fluff" but we called it an upside down souffle cup) it is probably from Akron City Hospital Idabelle Firestone School of Nursing. That was our graduate cap. We did have a student cap that was the more traditional style (folded over cuff and pointy in the back). The plain white one was for freshman, single blue velvet stripe was a junior, double blue velvet stripe was a senior. Ahhh memories! :)

LovemykittyRN · Feb 8, 2011

Thank you. It is exactly as you described. I remember now that it was Akron City Hospital rather than just Akron Hospital. Thank you for reminding me. Do you still have your cap?

I always wore my cap. I worked very hard for it.

FlyingScot, RN · Feb 8, 2011

I do have it although it has been smashed flat. I occasionally think about restoring it and might still although I seriously doubt I'd ever wear it. From what school did you graduate? You have about 2 years more than I.

DoGoodThenGo · Feb 8, 2011

Please send me photos of your nursing cap taken from various angles even if it is old and yellowed. Tell me the nursing program name, city, and state. I am retired and hope to do paintings of as many nursing caps as I can as a way to save these symbols of the history and tradition of nursing. I will email you a photo of the painting when it is finished. I plan on donating the images to a center for nursing history. Thanks.

For some reason vintage nursing caps are *hot* at the moment. Don't know why, from all the comments you see posted here about girls rather dying than wearing one you'd think the things would be found cheaply.

Being as all this may, eBay seems to have a few on at any given time. However again prices have gone way up. I bowed out of a bidding war over a vintage John Hopkin's Hospital nurse's cap once things got to the $$$ range.

Check thirft shops as well, and ghoulish as it may sound read the obituaries. Where you see a nurse has passed away usually her family or whomever is dealing with the estate may be getting rid of things. *Don't look at me like that* Many dealers in vintage items including thift shop owners have tactics that make "ambulance chasing attorneys" blush. Being as this may, you'd be surprised how many children, spouses or other family members are happy to see the deceased nursing items go to good cause.

What people don't usually want, and not to be mean, is for things to end up paraded around on Holloween.

You can also try contacting ANA to see if there is a cheap or free way to make a listing in any of their publications.

Best of luck!

DGTG

doggal · Feb 8, 2011

Alrighty, I sent you several angles of my Cornell University- The New York Hospital Cap. You didn't think it was THIS old did you? Maybe the second oldest in the country, but I am not sure of this.

Yes, vintage caps are in as are capes.

DoGoodThenGo · Feb 8, 2011

Alrighty, I sent you several angles of my Cornell University- The New York Hospital Cap. You didn't think it was THIS old did you? Maybe the second oldest in the country, but I am not sure of this.
Yes, vintage caps are in as are capes.

Cornell University School of Nursing, founded in 1877 as New York Hospital Training School for Nurses.

Became affiliated with Cornell Universit in 1927 (as part of Cornell Medical School's affiliation with New York Hospital), renamed "Cornell School of Nursing" in 1942

Interesting thing is that while the program awarded a BSN degree, it wasn't financially dependent upon the university for funding. Sums came from NYC, NYS and federal sources. The rest was made up from tuition and charges billed to patients. By the 1970's insurance companies began to refuse to pay for nursing educaiton as part of patient care expenses, and that coupled with decreased federal aid lead to the program closing in 1979. Darn shame. Darn shame.

Now "Doggal" which one is you?