A Gathering - The 40th Annual Alumnae Dinner RGH School of Nursing

The tables were laid with linens and silver cutlery. Water glasses filled and crockery all placed just so. From outside the vast dining room, a hum and buzz rippled, punctuated with laughter and surpised greetings, growing louder and filling the room as nurses from across Canada, from the United States and even two from Africa entered chatting and visiting with classmates not seen for weeks or months and, very many, for years.

From the Nursing Class of 1948 through the intervening years to 1972 (many of the years graduating two classes), nurses, both retired and many still working, returned to Regina, gathering in this dining room to meet and greet, laugh and reminisce, and catch up with changes both personally and in the profession of nursing.

All had been nursing students, young prairie girls learning to perform tasks at the same time providing the healing power of touch. Some stayed on at the Regina General Hospital School of Nursing and became instructors for those that young nurses that followed.

The evening’s speakers spoke of communicating nursing’s message farther afield:

~ a nurse author, a graduate of ‘the other’ school of nursing in Regina, writes about histories of nursing and of schools of nursing in Saskatchewan

~ an international nurse educator, a graduate of the Class of 1963 RGH School of Nursing, aids in developing nursing education in Africa and Cuba.

In those times when the nursing profession may begin to seem bit tarnished, I only need attend with this laughing continuum of mothers and grandmothers, sisters and aunts, family members and community members to know that I am one of a legion of truly caring women (not to mention very mishievous).

An Aside: There were no young men in RGH School of Nursing classes. Young men, for many years now, have been welcomed into this profession adding dimension and depth with their knowledge and caring. I have had the privilege of working with many of them (some not so young anymore) and have been proud to call them my colleagues in the nursing profession.

“The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that 

they can grow separately without growing apart.”

~ Elizabeth Foley