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Agatha Prater, Beryl “Bush” Jones and Clara Faulkner were mentors to the LVN nurses from the The Dublin Hospital LVN School. Submitted photo
In 1964, The Dublin Hospital had a problem. They needed nurses to attend patients, but finding trained nurses was difficult.
On the other hand, many women in town wanted a good job.
The solution seemed to be for Dublin Hospital to start its own LVN school for nurses. Local nurse Mildred Whitt R.N. had the necessary certifications to teach students to become Licensed Vocational Nurses and prepare them for certification and licensing. With celebrations from the medical community in Dublin, classes began Sept. 1, 1964 in unused office space next to Henderson’s Grocery. It was located across the street from the hospital. The first class began with eight students.
The training started with a 20 week clinical or pretraining that included a greater concentration of class hours and less hospital training. That was followed by a 32 week period of increased hospital experience. “The purpose of the course was to teach the vocational nurse to give safely and efficiently, competent bedside nursing care to the patients at the hospital and at home; to teach positive health and to teach the students their responsibility to the health team.” (Dublin Progress Sept. 24, 1964)
It would take over a year for them to get their training and also take the State Board Examination. When their classes were complete the nurses received their caps in a planned “capping” ceremony. Many friends and family members attended those ceremonies to congratulate them. Having friends who became nurses was a great moment for the medical community in Dublin.
The Dublin Hospital may not have had as many shinny chrome fixtures as other facilities, but patients were cared for, got well and went home to their families. Knowing that those who cared for you were almost family, was helpful as patients healed.
Here is a card of thanks that was printed in the Dublin Progress:
“I am deeply grateful for the thoughtfulness of so many who sent flowers, cards and gifts to me during my recent stay in the Dublin Hospital. I would like to express my thanks also to everyone who visited and sent food to my family during my illness and to the doctors and nurses and staff at the hospital who attended to my welfare. It is wonderful to know there are so many thoughtful people. Dublin is a good place to live.” (Dublin Progress Sept. 24, 1964)