Angels of Mercy—Nurses Week Finds Area Situation Full of Promise, by Marilyn Davis: Nurse’s Week is here! Along with the breath of spring, we feel refreshed to know that we are in such good hands locally. We have only to travel the halls of our Graham Hospital, see the faithful guardians of good health and witness their cheerful countenances to know we do indeed have Angels in Disguise. It was with great pleasure I was able to witness Charlotte Levingston, pres., and Betty Postin, treas., of the local Nurses’ Assn. present a check for the purchase of a membership for the National Geographic magazine for the student library. This gift is to be renewed each year so that many will benefit from this timely gift of knowledge. Knowledge, this is the key word here! In discussing some of the problems facing the nursing profession with the above mentioned nurses and Mrs. Betty Stockov, director of the hospital’s school of nursing, this was a primary target. Some of the plans to alleviate the severe shortage of registered nurses were to have better communication between the teaching institution and the prospective nurses. Career Days have been a helpful factor in interesting many to inquire into the field of nursing. Mrs. Stockov averages speaking before a high school once a week in hopes of enlisting others into this worthwhile profession. She said that the school visits area schools, talks to counselors and they encourage groups to visit and tour the Graham Hospital facilities. The school also looks forward to an expanded program between the Spoon River College and especially since the school is now switching from the three-year calendar program, which runs from September to August, to an academic program, which will end in May and give students a summer vacation. “This will be helpful in attracting many candidates for our training,” she said. Serving the local nurse’s association is as mentioned before, Mrs. Charlotte Levingston, pres., who has been a wonderful promoter for the field of nursing with her keen sense of humor, her kind heart and her willingness to go an extra step in helping with the recovery of each and every patient. Mrs. Levingston has Mrs. Dorothy Haynes as vice president, and as secretary, Mrs. Mary Wagner, with Mrs. Postin serving her term as treasurer. At their last meeting they gave a Laryngoscope for use in Liberia, on the west coast of Africa. A former Cantonian, Karen McLain, is the Director of Nurses of ELWA, serving as a missionary on the Sudan Interior mission there. Miss McLain spoke to her colleagues when she returned to the states on a one-year furlough after four years at the mission station. She was a 1961 graduate from Graham Hospital School. The local association has around 65 members and associate members and has been instrumental in purchasing many much needed helps in the teaching of future nurses. For instance, they bought a resusiannia, which is a life sized-doll or mannequin used in teaching closed chest or heart massage. This is a very useful teaching. The association members will attend a regional conference at the Pere Marquette on Respiratory Processes. They belong to the 7th district and will be hosting the district meet. Marguerite Heikes is president service five counties, Tazewell, Peoria, Marshall, Fulton and Woodford, 700 members. The programs are educational and show recent developments and allow the nurses to keep up with new trends. The regional meeting will see a doctor and nurse from Cleveland giving the bi-monthly demonstration for the group. When we discussed plans for the future, it was natural that we discuss the past. This led us to remark about the many sororities, church organizations, Campfire Girls and Girl Scouts, children’s groups such as Sunday School Classes, who have given many stuffed animals, toys, books, high chairs, play pens, rocking chairs toothpaste and toothpowder, combs and toothbrushes. It was amazing to find out they need a new supply of toothbrushes for little patients who because of the cost are unable to own one, as well as combs and toothpaste. Recently, the Modern Woodmen gave a supply of combs and a large doll was purchased and given to the nursery. Many things are needed to keep all running smoothly behind the scenes of hospital care. A couple of rocking chairs are needed in the O.B. section, they confided to me, and an endless amount of combs, personal care items. We take for granted everyone has these things, but they don’t! Many items are bought out of the pocket of generous, warm, loving nurses who care! The Nurses Association wishes to tell everyone who has been generous in the past, “thank you”. They are appreciative of anything which makes the lives of their patients brighter and happier. They are there to serve and not to be served.
Caption: Mrs. Betty Stockov, Director of the School of Nursing at Graham Hospital, is shown accepting a check for a subscription to National Geographic Magazine, which will be annually supplemented by the Nurses’ Association. Mrs. Betty Postin and Mrs. Charlotte Levingston, president, look on.
