The Class of ’58 Meets the Current Cohort
A historic event took place at the UBC School of Nursing in May 2018 when the students in the current cohort met with graduates of the class of 1958. As part of their 60th reunion celebration (planned to coincide with the 2018 UBC Nursing Celebration Gala), the alumni asked for an opportunity to connect with the current class of students to share their experiences of being a nursing student in the 1950s and to hear about the student experiences of 2018. Without hesitation, 25 students signed up, one of which remarked that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity that they didn’t want to miss.
During the planning for the session the organizers recognized the importance of capturing for posterity, the rich historical and comparative information that might emerge, so each graduate of the class of ’58 (“graduate”) was paired with two students and the sessions were audiotaped. A few of the participants entered the session with some trepidation; they were concerned that they might not ask the right questions or have enough stories to fill the 40 minutes allotted for the sharing session. From the gentle reminders to finish up their interviews, to the engagement and level of noise at the celebration lunch afterwards, it was apparent that a lack of material for discussion proved not to be an issue.
The graduates brought many photos and other memorabilia to share with each other and the students. The students were amazed at the graduates’ engagement not only with their studies, but also in ensuring time for fun. One graduate smiled, and remarked that as she perused the pictures with the students, she needed to explain things such as the enema can and autoclave. Another graduate told the students about the “Three H’s” of the enema. The graduates also shared tips on how to enjoy life in such a caring/demanding profession and noted that student days will get better as you learn more and feel more confident.
The graduates shared the configuration of their 1950s program (sometimes referred to as the “sandwich program”): one year at UBC, three years at VGH with rotations out into Essondale and the VON resulting in their RN, and the final year at UBC to receive their BSN. The UBC nursing program separated from VGH in 1958, putting an end to a teaching partnership that had been in place since 1919 and causing some friction at the administrative levels; but students were mostly unaware of this. A number of graduates compared education at the university where creative thinking was encouraged, to the much more structured setting in the hospital where you did things exactly as you were taught.
These opposing teaching methods made some students feel as if they had experienced less support from some of the nurses and head nurses during their clinical rotations.
This reunion project was a definite success. Feedback from the students was consistent in recognizing how amazing the 1958 graduates are. Erin Steen commented, “I loved this event and found it invaluable! It was such a wonderful reminder why I chose the profession of nursing and how diverse the field can be.”
Jordynn D’Angelo was fascinated by the differences in nursing then and now, especially relating to the gender roles in the workplace.
Hana Mildenberger shared her preconceived idea that there would be many aspects of nursing and nursing school that were just “different” due to the passage of 60 years. However, she discovered many similarities while chatting about the experiences and challenges of school. For example, this meeting was a reminder of the important role classmates will play not only during student days but throughout a nursing career. “Support from people who understand what you are going through is crucial and many valuable bonds can be established with those in your cohort,” Hana said. She had also assumed that the graduates were mostly going to be career bedside nurses but she discovered that, while some did have a full career within hospital walls, others had worked in education, academia, community health, and other facets of nursing.
Some of the graduates remarked that this event was one of the highlights of their reunion and were pleased by how articulate and mature today’s students seemed. The students agreed that is was a positive experience that they would never forget and recommended that this type of event be repeated.
The School of Nursing Alumni Engagement Committee is currently working on a mentorship program to connect current students with alumni. Information about this will be posted on our alumni website page nursing.ubc.ca/alumni
For their 50th reunion, the graduates created the Class of 1958 Emergency Award. bit.ly/TPFW2016
To donate to this or other awards in the School of Nursing, or to create your own, please contact use Stephanie McKnight stephanie.mcknight@ubc.ca. To plan your reunion, please contact APSC Alumni Relations at alumni@apsc.ubc.ca.
Submitted by Cathy Ebbehoj
