The freshness and innocence of 12-year-old faces is a delight to look upon. I had such a privilege recently when I spoke to a group of girls about what it's like to be a nurse. They were doing a unit on first aid. They told me quite accurately how to care for poison ivy. While I could not remember what convinced me to become a nurse, I certainly know that as far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be one. By their age of 12, I was sure, and couldn't wait to become a candy striper at age 16. As a kid I devoured every N*ncy Drew book, but I also read all the Ch*rry Ames books as well, a sort of N*ncy Drew in a nurse's uniform. That and other books on nursing heroes all helped to cause a great interest in such a career. I found the one Ch*rry Ames book in our entire public library system and brought it along to show the girls. (I was amazed in starting to read it how, through the familiar characters, it felt like connecting with friends I had known years before!)
I never did get to be a candy striper, as we moved the summer I was all set to become one. Soon after, though, my parents told me it was time to get a part time job so I could save for college. I went down the street to a nursing home and that began a real eye-opening job that taught me much and convinced me that I was made of the stuff nursing required.
So I told these young girls all these things, as well as the good things (and not so good things) about a nursing career. I listened to their stories of broken arms, stitches on heads and knee gashes, births of baby cousins ... and on and on the evening went. Maybe one day some of them will become nurses and will remember this gray-haired lady who ready Ch*rry Ames books and was so enthusiastic about her career.
I hadn't heard about the Cherry ames books. I'll have to check one out.
ReplyDeleteOne is all you'll get--at our library system!
ReplyDeleteOH YES! In fact I took one to the hospital when I had my tonsils out in the seventh grade. My mom ended up reading it. Loved Nancy Drew, too as well as the Five Little Peppers series. It was a treat that one of the nuns let you read if you were good. Also, have you read the Little Colonel series. All were great. I bought all of them on e-bay so my daughter could read them, too. Some of the books are readily available but a few are really hard to find.
ReplyDeletePS I didn't become a nurse until I was in my thirties but it has been a rewarding career! I was a candy stripper at age 15 at the VA hospital..Talk about getting teased a lot by all those old men!!It was fun, though.
Sandyt