Eastbourne School of Nursing

[malenurse]

I was a student nurse from 1972 - 75 in Eastbourne. They had just started to introduce continous assessment. In addition we had the 4 practical exams to do assessed by a Nurse Tutor.  1. Aseptic Technique 2. Drug Round 3. Care of one Patient for the day 4. Manage the Ward for a day. These were spread over the 3 years. I remember we all had a little book which recorded the results in it. In the 3rd year we did a pharmacology written exam - you had to get at least 70% to pass. Once completed you could do the drug round without supervision - eek! (No Controlled Drugs of course).

[malenurse]

More about Eastbourne. The student placements were generally split between St Marys (now demolished) which had most of the general specialities & Princess Alice, which in those days was AE, plus Ortho, ENT & Elderly.  The placements were about 8 weeks in duration and we also rotated from day to night shifts. In between the clinical periods we spend a number of weeks in study blocks. These were very much based on the western medical model of care. (I'm sure this has made me slightly sceptical of non-mainstream medicine.) The 2nd year was the busiest, we could chose placements in Community, MH and Obs/Gyne (no boys allowed though). Also we were allocated to theatre which I hated - not because of the work which was great but how we were treated by the trained staff. It was the only time in the 3 years that I wanted to leave. I stuck it out but vowed that when I qualified I would always treat students with respect.  More to follow .......

[malenurse]

Uniforms. These are always worth a mention particularly if you are a male nurse. Male nurses always were difficult to dress. If you gave them a white coat they could hide their nurse name badge, put a stethoscope around their necks & pretend to be doctors. This was useful when trying to impress new 1st year students.  The answer to this problem was the 'dentist'  uniform. This consisted of a short white 'top'  with an array of buttons or studs which ran up the side from the waist to just below the L ear lobe. This horror had a breast pocket which also displayed your rank in the form of a sewn flash. (White 1st year Red 2nd Year Blue 3rd Year etc). It also had a sort of kangaroo pouch at the front to complete the display. How could this be made more ridiculous?  Add some white see through trousers of course. These were usually either too small or too large but by the time they had been washed a few times ones 'nether' regions were available to view by all. . The laundry always did a cracking job, both jacket and trousers would always  returned so clean and so starched it was like skinning a rabbit putting them on. I did wish that would press the trouseres the right way though so I didnt look like Sailor Sam.

More soon....

[backman]

 LOL.   Definitely can associate with that one,it's a wonder I ever dated as it certainly wasn't the uniform that attracted the ladies!!!

[eric]

Malenurse, your comment of trying to pretend to be doctors reminds me of time when we pretended to be patients when medical students were in Psch ward. They were to interview patients and report back to consultant. I won't say what they diagnosed me as having but it ranged from neurosis to severe psychosis. They were definately not pleased when they found out.
Did anyone ever get a bathing upon leaving the ward?

[backman]

 Absolutely Eric,I recall getiing phsically thrown/lifted into the bath at the end of nearly every placement,if not covered in eggs/baked beans/ky jelly as well! Obviously I couldn't condone such behaviour today as we would have to use a hoist! One colleague was literally plastered with both arms and legs being covered in plaster of paris( for any younger readers,this was a sign of affection rather than physical abuse)

[malenurse]

I do remember when working on ITU putting a male student nurse in a G suit and leaving him for a couple of hours. For the uninitiated this was an inflateble all over pressure suit designed to support major abdominal rupture/haemorrhage. It used a C02 cylinder to inflate it quickly. We always asked a student to volunteer to try it so they understood how it felt.  We could hear him shouting  during the handover.  Funny enough I went out with a nurse once who used something rather smaller which covered the hips. This was designed to take inches off. I dont think it worked though.

[wilfb]

Hi. I think that it was called a roll-on? My understanding was that it worked until rolled-off - at which point all contained therein apparently became thereout again!!

However, before you gentlemen get yourselves dispatched in the general direction of the sluice - can I ask an expert (malenurse) whether we have the correct badge displayed for Eastbourne 1974 on the relevant SoN page:-

http://schoolsofnursing.co.uk/EastbourneSEM74.htm

Perhaps I need to add a sluice room to the canteens and coffee shops. Both support for and protests against this idea will be considered.

WB.

[malenurse]

Hi WB

It's not the badge I was awarded in 1975 in Easbourne which was probably one of the last. In  1976 Easbourne School of Nursing merged with Hellingly MH School of Nursing to form Sussex Downs School of Nursing. My wife recieved a badge from this school. I'll send pics of both badges as soon as I can.

[nursesue]

whilst I am a female nursey type - I can empathise with the dilemas of uniforms. Believe me  dresses, petersham belts ( complete with shiny silver buckle), starched aprons and an equally unflaterring starched hat ( with  enough white kirby grips to sink a battle ship to hold it in place) and cuffs was no picnic. Manual lifting ( no hoists) resulted in many back injuries as  you were busy holding you hem to maintain your modesty ( where were you when we needed yoour help  backman ha ha!!).
Nowadays  i sprot a navy blue short tunic and trousers and no lifting aaahhhh heaven
sue ::)

[AnthonyP]

 I trained at the Nottingham School Of Nursing and became an SRN in 1973.
I worked at  the Nottingham General Hospital. As students the male nurses uniform was- white shirt with black tie.Doctor type coats
with shoulder flashes/stripes-dark blue trousers/black socks with black slip on shoes.

Happy memories.

Kind regards

Tony.