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Abstract of Rosemary Ellen (Rosie) THOMSON, 2016

 Item — Box: 32
Identifier: H02430002

Abstract

Rosie Thomson Interviewer: Janice Templeton Abstracter: Courtney Ellison

TRACK 1

Introduction by interviewer (background to Riverton Hospital)

TRACK 2

00:20 Nursing at Riverton Hospital, Home at Greenhills, Maiden name Wyatt (sp??), worked at H & Js in drycleaning department, came from family of 10

01:30 Living at nursing home, homesick, 16 years old

03:40 Friends with Roma Popem (sp??) and Joy Callaghan (sp??), matron interviewed any men they went out with

04:20 Wearing lace up corsets, hours of work, uniforms, working in the hospital

06:20 Different wards: elderly, surgery, children. Matron was Nancy McDowell (sp??)

08:00 Working 6 days a week, day off rarely went home

08:40 Lectures and exams

09:15 Hard nature of work, work (like making beds) being double checked

10:15 Length of training, given medal, progressing to theatre nurse. Dr Dawson and Dr Foster were doctors at the time, Dr Moffat from Otautau came if any were absent.

11:25 Work in Invercargill Hospital, travel by bus

13:18 Training for work in theatre

13:50 Night duty, no lights only a torch, patient bell system

TRACK 3

00:00 Waking patients at 5am for bed baths

00:40 Doing the wards

01:25 A grade training school, 22 girls training at the time, nurses from overseas,

02:25 Room inspections by matron, locked in by 11pm, fire escapes, sneaking into rooms

04:55 Intruder into nurses home

06:05 Family life at nurses home, ANZAC days, nurses balls at Empire Theatre

07:50 Pay as a nurse, companionship

08:40 Story of patient sneaking out window to parties

10:35 Hospital building, became a TB ward, trainee doctors from Kew, became just for elderly care

12:20 Mens ward, laundry

14:00 Balls held for football and rowing, met husband Alec (??)

TRACK 4

00:00 Shifted home, worked at H & J Smith, caring for fiancée’s elderly family members

03:30 Left nursing to get married, returned to nursing after having children, packing up maternity home when it closed, working school hours

06:00 Retiring in 1990, family environment, matron cared for wellbeing, changes in nursing / hospital over time

END

Dates

  • 2016

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For access please contact the Southland Oral History Project Coordinator at sohp@ilibrary.co.nz.

Conditions Governing Use

The contents of Southland Oral History Project collections are subject to the conditions of the Copyright Act 1994. Please note that in accordance with agreements held with interviewees additional conditions regarding the reproduction [copying] and use of items in the Southland Oral History Project collections may apply. Please contact the Southland Oral History Project Coordinator for further information at sohp@ilibrary.co.nz.

Extent

From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)

Language of Materials

From the Record Group: English

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository