An Oral Mstory of a Group of Women Who Began Their Professional Lives As Nurses in the School of Nursing, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow Scotland Between 1938 and 1945
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
AN ORAL MSTORY OF A GROUP OF WOMEN WHO BEGAN THEIR PROFESSIONAL LIVES AS NURSES IN THE SCHOOL OF NURSING, ROYAL INFIRMARY, GLASGOW SCOTLAND BETWEEN 1938 AND 1945 Margaret Anne Highet Submitted in partial Mfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Nursing Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia October 2000 8 Copyright by Margaret Anne Highet National Library Bibliothèque nationale l*I ofCanada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Setvices services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, nm Welligldori Ottawa ON KiA ON4 ûüawaON K1AW Canada Camb The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence dowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distniute or sel reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of die L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neikthe droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othetwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Dedication This work is dedicated to my parents, Mary and Robert Richardson of Kilmarnock, Scotland, in appreciation of their continuous love and support and in recognition of the impact that the omet of World War II had on thek early married and family life. Table of Contents List of Illustrations and Tables ............................................. vi Abstract ................................................................ vii Acknowledgments ....................................................... viii Introduction .............................................................1 1 Setfing ............................................................... 6 The School of Nuning .................................................. 17 2 Methodology ......................................................... 30 Method ............................................................. 31 DataCollection ........................................................ 33 Data Reliability and Validity ............................................. 35 ResearcherBias ....................................................... 36 Theparticipants ....................................................... 37 PreseatationofData ................................................... 43 Preparation for War .................................................... 44 AirRaids ............................................................ 46 Blackout ............................................................. 49 Rationing ........................................................... 51 Social Conditions ...................................................... 54 Effects of War ........................................................ 56 Nurses' Work ......................................................... 59 LeisureTime ......................................................... 64 War'sEnd ........................................................... 66 4 Analysis ............................................................. 69 5 Summary ............................................................ 83 Conclusion ........................................................... 88 Implications for the Future ............................................... 92 Appendices ............................................................. 94 References ............................................................. 103 List of Figura and Tables Figure1 . Royal Infïrmary 1839 .............................................. 6 Figure 2. Glasgow Royal uifirmary 1939 ..................................... 16 Figure 3 . Glasgow Royal Infirmary Emblem .................................. 17 Figure 4. Photographs fiom 1892 and 1939 ...................................29 Figure 5 . Bedmaking Class 1939 ........................................... 61 Figure 6. Bandaging Practice 1939 .......................................... 62 Table 1 . Appendix A .................................................... 94 Table 2 . Appendix 1 .................................................... 102 Abstract The purpose of this study was to document the recollection and lived experiences of women who were student nurses in the Royal Infimary, Glasgow, Scotland between 1938 and 1945. This time period covers one ofthe major events of the 20' century, World War II, which impacted on and shaped the lives of al1 who lived through it. The effects of war on the day to day lives of shident nurses were explored with a particular focus on their recollections of how their lives, work environment and nuning curriculum were afFected and changed as a result of the war. Oral history was the method used in this project with semi-stnictured interviews and open ended questions guiding the process. Participants were invited to describe their experiences in theit own words and with their permission the interviews were recorded on tape. Newspapen, professional joumals of the period and hospital records were secondary sources of information. Fourteen women who had been student nurses in Glasgow Royal infirmary between 1938 and 1945, took part in the study. Their names were obtained fiom the hospital Nurse's League membenhip list and interviews were conducted over a 3 week period and later transcribed and the findings presented. Feminist methodologies were used to conduct the study and common themes were identified fiom the data and presented and cntiqued from a feminist perspective. Unlike traditional nursing history which describes the working conditions and evolution of the profession fiom pre-Nightingale days to the present, this qualitative historicai study explored the day to day activities, and perceptions of selected student nurses during a significant worid event. vii Acknowledgments It is a pleasure to acknowledge the many people who have assisted me in the pmcess and successful completion of this study. To my farnily, fiiends and colleagues for their continuous encouragement and support. To my employer, the Sisters of Charity, Halifax, especially Sister Doris Schoner who, as administrator ofMother Berchmans Centre, provided me with study leave to conduct the inte~ewsfor this project. To Dr. Barbara Keddy, who has always been encouraging and whose advice has keninvaluable, and to Dr. Carol Srnillie and Professor Mardi Arnirault for your assistance and advice as committee members. 1 am especially indebted to my fnend and committee member, Rosemary Weir, of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, for her assistance in accessing the names and addresses of Glasgow Royal Infirmary League members who met the study criteria. A sincere thank you aiso to Alistair Tough, Archivist of the Greater Glasgow Health Board, for facilitating access to the records of the Royal Infirmary Board meetings and to Miss Margaret Smith, Director of Nursing and Quality, Royal Inhary Glasgow, for her interest and support. Finaily a very speciai appreciation and thank you to those wonderfûl women who so willingly offered me hospitality and enthusiasticaily shared their experiences and mernories with me. viii Introduction This is a war of the unknown warriors, the whole of the warring nations are engage4 not only soldiers, but the entire population, men ,women and children. The fionts are everywhere. The penches are dug in the towns and streets. Every village isfortified Every road is barred. ï7tefiont lines run through the factories. The workmen me soldiers with dtyerent weapons but the same courage. (WINSTON CHURCHILL,1940) This study documents the recollections and lived experiences of fourteen women who were student nurses in the school of nursing of the Royal Infimary, Glasgow, Scotland. between 1938 and 1945. This time period covered one of the major events of the 20' century, narnely World War II, which impacted on and shaped the lives of al1 who lived through it. World War II began for the British people on Sunday September 3" 1939 after the Gerrnan army's invasion of Poland, and lasted until August 1945 when Japan surrendered. Although Hitler never did invade Britain, the hardships of a country at war afZected the day to day lives of al1 the population. For example, being an island, Britain depended on üade with Europe and what were at that time the countries of the British Empire, (now members of the Commonwealth) for many of its food supplies and raw materials, including gasoline. During the war years, however, these products were in short supply, due in part to the effectiveness of the Gennan navy in sinking many of the merchant supply ships and also to the necessity of providing for ail the demands of the large anned services. A system of rationing was therefore imposed on the British public to control and ensure the equitable distribution of food, clothing and fuel (Calder, 1969; Kendall, 1972). In the first months and 2 years of the war the threat of invasion was ever present and in the larger industrial cities and also the southem ports on the English Channel, regular night bombing raids were a reality, and caused a great deal of property damage and loss of lives. The industrial city of Glasgow, situated in south west Scotland on the river Clyde, was a major ship building