The good ole days of nursing...share your stories!

[NurseLife88]

I'm am currently being precepted by a well seasoned nurse. She graduated from a diploma program in the mid 70s and has been a nurse ever since. I love the stories she shares about going to nursing school, sitting for nclex, and all the things she has seen and done over the years. There is such a big difference from when she started as a nurse to what nursing has become now. I am very interested in hearing stories from other nurses who have been in the field awhile as well as opinions on changes with schooling, work ethic, etc. Im interested in hearing comparisons of nursing now vs. back in the day. Any and all stories and opinions appreciated :)

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

I'm a diploma grad and now a nurse educator. The difference between then and now is BIG! As students, we were responsible for covering all three shifts. For OB training, we were assigned a patient at 32 weeks gestation and followed her through everything. We accompanied her to prenatal visits, and we were on call and had to meet her in L&D no matter what day or time she went into labor (My patient went into labor at 2:00 am on a Sunday morning). We stayed with our patient through labor whether it lasted two hours or two days! We stayed until she delivered and took care of her and the baby until they were discharged. Students don't get that kind of training anymore. We also had an extensive OR rotation where we observed a procedure, then scrubbed and circulated. Most students today don't even get an OR rotation.

I also am a diploma grad, 1970's. Our OB wasn't quite as comprehensive as yours, but close.

We also did OR. If nothing else, the OR taught you why your patient had pain post-op, and the vital importance of sterile technique.

Unmarried students were required to live in the dorm, there were curfews, bedchecks.

The girls took some pride in their caps, although some hated them and abandoned them as quickly as possible.

We weren't plagued by computers and a million forms to fill out. We had manageable workloads and time to do all of our work.

Don't get me wrong. There was still plenty of lazy staff, wrong orders, yelling and throwing of instruments by surgeons especially. But I don't remember there being firing for calling off too much or for tardiness. Maybe I was just naive and blissfully unaware, but it seems like people came to work and did their jobs and enjoyed their work. Yes, there were eaters of young, just like today.

[Semper_Gumby]

What do Psych patients have to look forward to for the rest of their lives today? Really? Yes, there are some group homes, state long-term facilities for forensic pts in particular, lots of meds, shock treatments, therapies, maybe a little job, being on disability, but also periods of homelessness and loads of illicit drugs and alcohol. HOnestly not all that much better.

Not all psych patients are equal and there are many people who are able to lead relatively normal lives with mental illness. I don't claim to be an expert but the people I've known who had a mental illness would find ways to cope and manage it and live relatively normally. I realize it's not the case for everyone, but to act as though anyone with a psychiatric illness has nothing to look forward to in life is honestly a little offensive.

On-topic, I love hearing stories from veteran nurses about what it used to be like; I graduated just a few years ago from a diploma program, and though it was a far different experience than the graduates of that school in decades past, they definitely emphasized keeping the patient's room neat and doing what you could to keep them comfortable.

[sunshines66, BSN]

I had to the two days for NCLEX. It was a true test of stamina for a nurse. You had to take the test with a room full of nervous people with all their nervous tics in a huge room. You could not have a restroom break if someone else was out of your room. I stayed at the hotel where the test was being given because I did not want any potential delay because if you were late you could not enter. Everyone, anywhere I went were talking about the test it was a pressure cooker. It was a fabulous test of how you could handle stress because nursing can be very stressful.

Nursing was more about noticing subtle changes in your patient's condities on not just relying on tests and monitoring devices.

I felt I used my brain and senses more to montor for changes. Not so now, if it can not be showed on a lab value or monitoring device you are not believed.

I liked spending time with the patients not paper or computer charting.

[PANYNP]

COB here. Does anyone remember using Kpads for treatment of DVT?

Kpads were light green rubber heating pads that we would place inside a pillow case. They would be ordered from SPD, who would bring them to the floor.

First, we would wrap the patient's legs from knee to ankle with long lengths of moist Kerlix, soaked in warm water in a small green sterile basin, then place blue Chux around the patient's legs on top of the Kerlix. Then we would wrap the pillow-cased Kpad around each of the patient's legs and hold it in place with additional lengths of Kerlix that we would tie in three places to keep everything held together.

Warm and soggy.

The order would read something like "Kpad to lower extremities, and elevate for 1 hour tid".

This treatment was intended to improve venous return via warmth and elevation.

[sevensonnets]

To me the very best thing about the old days of nursing is that you did your eight hours, recorded report, picked up your purse and you were out of there by 3:10.

[vanityfair29]

Oh I remember the different coloured inks for each shift. I also remember that when I was a student nurse I was respectful and didn't talk back and knew my place. Now the students act like they know everything and you should be thankful for their presence and they'really always overwhelmed. I fear for the care in 20 years

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I remember the merge to Epic. Still haunts me. :| :|

[PANYNP]

To me the very best thing about the old days of nursing is that you did your eight hours, recorded report, picked up your purse and you were out of there by 3:10.

We gave verbal report and Still were out of there by 2320. Loved 3-11 when I was in my 20s: the party shift. We went out almost every night after work.

[oncnursemsn]

Love this post and yes! Remember when you sat for your boards and it was 2 days? Not single day at the computer under lock down. I think we had it good.

[DNRme]

I graduated from a diploma school in 1984.

I still believe it was tbe best way to get a nursing education. Here are a few of my gems:

-NG to low Gomco suction

-3 bottle chest tube water seal

-Working as a GN for months

-Preop coctail:demerol/vistaril/atropine.. .everyone got it.

-NO pumps!

-metal bovie pads

-Punching in with actual time cards

-Cardex care plans

[Boomer MS, RN]

I do remember taking Boards for 16 hours over two days. And prior to 1980, it was considered a badge of courage to have blood on your hands and uniform after being in on a trauma. The thought of starting an IV with gloves on was an anathema. No one could imagine doing that. Doing our EKGs with the suction cups we moved across the chest. Glass bottles of IV fluids, marked with tape and black marks to show increments of 100 ml. The "Head" nurse making rounds with attendings and their residents in tow, being very involved with what was going on and the plan for each patient. A back rub was part of PM care on the 3-11 shift for every patient when I did floor nursing. The oddest thing to me was smoking in the nurses' stations, both physicians and nurses.

[amoLucia]

To Mavrick - TY for the school pin pix. I have no idea how to post a pix or I'd have done so.