Three Addenbrooke’s nurses who trained together 50 years ago took a trip down Memory Lane this week.
Jilly Bradshaw, Elizabeth Gaskarth and Cheryl Pearsall, recalled old times when they returned to the hospital yesterday (Tuesday) to soak up sights familiar, and new.
They also got the chance to speak to some of the senior staff working at Addenbrooke’s today, and find out how things have changed over the years.
All started at old Addenbrooke’s, Trumpington, in 1973 on an innovative fast-track three year training course to become staff nurses.
It included a final year of management training and was considered so tough, only five hospitals in the country ran the course, which was later dropped.
The trio, who later worked at new Addenbrooke’s, lived together in nearby Grantchester House nurses’ flats, and worked on wards including medical, surgical, children’s, elderly and orthopaedics.
They recalled the long hours – starting at 40 hours a week – but also happy times together enjoying everything from parties in the junior doctors’ mess, to time on the river in the official nurses’ punt.
Jilly, whose maiden name was Hayman and is from Canterbury said:
I felt quite choked up walking in the door and seeing how it has expanded, even over the last two years. But I also had a strong sense of this being my hospital, and this is where I belong – this is where I grew up.
Jilly Bradshaw
Cheryl, whose maiden name is Furniss and is from Worcestershire, added:
Although it was 50 years ago it feels like yesterday in many respects. We’re still the same people, and it still feels like we belong here.
Cheryl Pearsall
Elizabeth, from Carlisle, said her favourite memory was “the fellowship”, explaining they were all balancing tough shifts on multiple wards with theoretical work and night duty.
She said:
We supported each other during our training because some of it was very stressful and very hard.
It was very diverse training, so roughly every eight weeks to 12 weeks you had to get used to a completely different speciality, a completely different ward, and you had a ward full of patients and staff to become familiar with. It was quite a lot!
Elizabeth Gaskarth
Addenbrooke’s director of midwifery, Meg Wilkinson, added:
We were delighted to welcome back three former members of staff and swap stories about old times and new. It was lovely to hear how proud they were of working in our hospital, and how that feeling remains with them to this day. Addenbrooke’s clearly holds a special place in their hearts.
Meg Wilkinson
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