Trying to make a folded square of Kleenex to use to anchor your nursing cap's bobby pin to your scalp.
Thanks for that! I'm glad nurses caps were not necessary when I went to school. Although one student did wear an original nurses uniform with a skirt to our pinning ceremony and it looked cool! I just can't imagine working in one.
I remember the "State Boards". I was so nervous by the lunch break of the first day that I had a drink with my lunch calm down. I passed all sections but I scored much higher on the afternoon sections when I was more relaxed.
I'm retired now, but graduated in 1974 so definitely COB! I remember so many of these. Loved my cap (symbol of HARD work), but hated wearing it. Remember knocking it off my head on traction bar and being very grateful it hadn't ended up in something nasty. Do they still use Cir co elective (not sure of spelling) beds??? Man, I hated those things. Once saw a pt slip nearly out of bed when being turned. For those that don't know, these beds were using for spinal injury pts.
I remember those; antibiotics came in those. They were phasing them out when I entered nursing (1997)
I had a 'what the heck' moment when I recently started working acute care again after being gone for eight years. Went to the pixis, took out an antibiotic, and it was a a small glass bottle to be used with our pump tubing, small plastic loop attached to the top of it to hang from the IV pool. I had never seen them before and thought that they were long gone...and now they're BACK (for a few meds).
Rigging your own version of a mist tent for a pedi patient using wire coat hangers and clear plastic (because you were RT at night and on holidays all day!)
Setting up bili lights and using surgical masks to cover private parts.
Being the only RN on the floor and admitting 14 patients in one shift on a busy med/surg floor!
When you needed an RT you could usually find them out in the smoke hole!
I remember a couple years after getting my license HIPAA had been revised and everyone going crazy trying to make sure that they were compliant. Changes were made about what information was on the patient status boards at the desk and all staff were given a huge paper packet (no email back then) to read "in our down time" to make sure that we knew the changes. It was the size of a small textbook.
Chart throwing by a doctor. Yes, right across the room.
Huge chart racks at the Nurses Station.
Paper charts and MARS; rolodex type Kardexes; being taught to check for Homan's sign in nursing school and doing this in clinicals; hanging an IV bag, counting the drips by your watch and using a roller clamp to adjust the rate; volutrols; latex gloves.
An atmosphere of pride and satisfaction in care given; daily morning bed baths using soap, water, and washcloths, and bed linen changes; making mitred corners with bed sheets; lots of experienced nurses; Heparin locks on peripheral IV's; hanging Aminophylline on ICU step-down in nursing school; Heparin infusions for stroke patients; huge binders full of paper policies and procedures.
One of of our long-time neurosurgeons (who has recently retired) would throw surgical instruments at OR staff if they didn't get what he wanted fast enough. This was within the last ten years.
What about mixing 24 IV's for 22 patients' on your hall....because the pharmacy did not mix........anyone remember those days.....I was the only RN and had 2 LPNs and 2 nurses aides....we did it all.......from all the meds, hanging all the IVs, no pumps but timed drip factors with your watch.....
I started nursing as an aide in 1960 and got my RN in 1971. Such changes! No CPR, no disposable ANYTHING, including catheters, IV tubing, syringes and needle. The hardest part for me when I graduated was having 36 patients with 30 IVs I had to mix. The thought terrifies me now!
Trying to make a folded square of Kleenex to use to anchor your nursing cap's bobby pin to your scalp.
Did any other COBs use KY jelly to "glue" the stripe to their cap? It held the stripe in place very well but if you needed to remove the stripe to wash the cap, it came off easily. One of our nursing instructors taught us that trick.
I only wore my cap twice after graduating. I went right into Peds and the first time I worked with a child in a cage crib I decided the cap had to stay home.
I also remember circo electric beds, also Stryker frames. Neither are used now. I also worked with iron lungs.
I used to do home care for a 3 year old who was in an iron lung whenever she slept. This was less than 20 years ago. They look much different than they did in the "old days", though.
Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN
11,305 Posts
Thanks for that! I'm glad nurses caps were not necessary when I went to school. Although one student did wear an original nurses uniform with a skirt to our pinning ceremony and it looked cool! I just can't imagine working in one.