Cape Breton's Magazine

Well, I always said we were sort of high class maids. (And were you paid as high class maids?) Oh, we didn't get paid. They were profiteering on us, really. We had to pay for our own books, our uniforms, and everything. All the time you were in train? ing. Three-year course. (When a nurse finally did finish her three years, would she then be hired by the hos? pital?) If she was a good nurse. When I graduated--I never did one day of bedside nursing. Never. I got a position teaching nursing. See, I had been a schoolteacher, so I suppose that was sort of in my line. So I taught for two years. And then what at that time they called the Superinten? dent of Nurses--now they call it the Direc? tor of Nurses--she was leaving. And the doctors asked me if I would take that posi? tion. Which I did, and I kept it all the time. Thirty-three years. Columbia Presby? terian (Hospital). Largest centre in the world. Eight hospitals went together under one umbrella--8 large hospitals. And we covered two city blocks. We had the main hospital. And under that was the medical school and the dental school. And general surgery and obstetrics and medicine. Then we had the babies' hos? pital. We had the eye hospital. All sepa? rate buildings. We had the neurological. We had the psychiatric. A building for can? cer research. There wouldn't be any beds in it, it would be just for research. Then we had the nurses' home for the student nurses. Then we had the nurses' home for the graduate nurses. All on the same prop- ililiia liliHi erty. And we were all connected by tunnels. You didn't have to go outside to go to any? thing . (And your role in all that was?) I was the Director of Nurses. I had obstetrics and gynecology. And I knew every person, be? cause I was that kind of a person--I mixed with everybody. And I knew that hospital from the 22nd floor to the sub-basement. It was a very interesting life. CONTINUED ome for the summer, for the fall colours- you are welcome to Victoria County stay 'XIAD MILE FAILTE" One Hundred Thousand Wefcomes VICTORIA COUNTY The Warden. Councilors and Residents Take time to meet the people of Victoria County.