Caring
Minerva Ryley
Minerva Ryley was born in Omaha on January 22, 1875. She was admitted to the Clarkson training program in 1896. She was one of two graduates of the class of 1898. She was instrumental in forming the alumnae Association in 1910. Ryley kept a diary that documented her time as a nursing student and demonstrates her commitment to caring.
September 3, 1996
".....I give the children their dinner, put them to bed, and go down to my dinner and am off duty till three o'clock. As a rule we have been short of nurses this week and although I have not to work hard, I am obliged to be on hand in case of emergency. When I go on duty, I get the children up, wash and dress them and makeup beds and straighten the ward, then take the pulse, temperature and respreation. The pulse and respiration is very hard for me to take and because I broke my watch I have been obliged not to them for 2 or 3 days..."
Caring During a Pandemic
Blanche Udey was a member of the class of 1918. During her time as a student, she cared for patients inflicted with the Spanish Flu.
"It began with a few patients every day, for about two weeks; then all of a sudden, all the beds were filled. We had cots on the porches, extra cots in the wards, private rooms became double rooms overnight. Sometimes, ambulatory patients were admitted in the morning and by four o 'clock, this terrible disease had overcome them. It seems that there was little that was helpful and death came so quickly. It was nearly always fatal to mothers and surgical patients, so no maternity cases were admitted if they could possibly be cared for at home and no surgery was performed unless it was an emergency. The hospital was almost entirely influenza cases. At first, when we came on duty, we changed our shoes in the basement, wearing others that were not to be taken from the hospital. We donned white robes over our uniforms and wore masks and caps. Most of our staff doctors were in the Army and Navy and many unfamiliar doctors brought in patients. They also wore the caps and gowns. As a result, it was not unusual to ask a doctor his name as we took orders. We really looked like an army of ghosts, only distinguishable to each other by our heights and voices. There was no such things as hours. We worked until we were through, sometimes not leaving the floor to go to the dining room, snatching what we could find le f t from evening trays and although eating in the diet kitchens was forbidden, now it went by unnoticed.
There was no complaining among the nurses. All were so tired that classes were dispensed with for a while. The amazing part was that the nurses were not afraid of contracting the disease—a few did—but fortunately there were no fatalities s among them. After weeks on weeks, which seemed at times, to be a losing battle, the epidemic diminished and the hospital routine resumed to normal again."
Miss and Mr. Clarkson History
Each year, the Clarkson College community chooses two individuals that exemplify the Clarkson College Values.