Nursing Records

[backman]

I know that several members of the forum use Archive material such as Nurses Registers when researching individual of hospital SON histories.Having had custody of the registers for Southampton Incorporation Infirmary prior to passing them to the custody of Hampshire County Archive, I know what a valuable source of information these can be for researchers.Often written in large leather bound volumes by the pen of the hospital matron they sometimes pull no punches when it comes to detailing the abilities or lack of them of individual nurses.They show the perception of what made a good nurse in the early years of the 20th Century once you develop the knack of deciphering the handwriting.
I currently have custody of the Nursing Records for Great Yarmouth Hospital from 1904 and thought I might share one or two comments from their volumes.See if you think similar comments would be acceptable for todays students?

Margaret P.. 1913 Probationer  Slow and rather stupid but good natured and conscientious

Audrey W...1910 Casualty Sister trained Kings College Hospital  Capable and Bright in manner-Good to children and kept ward well.Not altogether satisfactory in relations with Medical staff not in control of Nurses   Resigned her post 1913 Since leaving post eloped with married member of Hon.Medical staff.

Violet E...21 Was a teacher of Music  Probationer 1911  Not suitable for training not sufficient intellect or liking for the work( Left after one month)

Annie B...21  Probationer  Very common and uneducated not suitable for nursing profession except as "Cottage Nurse" but interested in her work and kind to patients

Ruth B...32  Home and theatre sister 1920  An excellent theatre sister and a good manager as far as the nurses home was concerned.Was not tactful to or loyal to those in authority,wanting too much of her own way.

Annie M... 20 1920 Probationer   very neurotic and apparently mentally deficient  Left after one month Did not feel her nerves strong enough

Doris P....17 and a half  Probationer  Was entirely unsuited to be a nurse-work not thorough-was not obedient,memory poor-not sympathetic to patients,no observation(Probably much too young-nice mannered girl)

L... 18 Probationer 1921 Childish and Incompetent No memory nor method  Unacceptable for training   

E M S...25 Staff Nurse 1922 good nurse popular with patients.Good tempered and well mannered Not very strong Reason for Leaving Work too heavy wanted a rest


Hope you find these of interest?

[Sarah Rogers]

Hi, thanks Peter, it seems to be a common theme among nurses records from that period, by the 1940's the comments  of the few I recently read seemed to change-being more constructive, and also consistent with what happened to the nurse after training, ie being taken on /not!
Lizzie

[wilfb]

Hi Peter.

Well, I never had the priveledge of seeing my records when I was a student, or early years after qualifying - and I would not have dared to be so forward in later years for fear of such comments being used against me in a court of law!  But oh' wern't they just direct and to the point... But having said that I felt threatened on more than one occaision whilst training and had been 'on the carpet' more than once for not toeing the line. I suppose, in a way, that the comments were often honest and neccesary when seen in the light of their times.

I wonder what my records would show? I was told several times to 'keep my nose clean' during initial training, and once, by a Chief Male Nurse, that I was unsuitable for digging trenches in roads, although I admit to having provoked him by offering that alternative to remaining in his employ!! I wonder what nurses of today would make of the three
verbal/witten warning system' of my day?

But were they all without malice I ask myself.... Whether or not, they do seem a little pointed and I have no qualms about saying that the difficulty we faced getting into and remaining in training was good discipline. Something we lost. Good or bad I am not certain...  I do think that those regular reports from both Matron's and Teaching staff kept us all awake!  Ward sister's? 'Fire breathers'... Staff Nurses? 'Monkey in the middle'... Senior students....

Those reports are historical magic!!