PLEDGE MYSELF . . . ”
"I solemnly pledge myself before God and in
the presence of this assembly to pass my life in
purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I
will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mis-
chievious and will not take or knowingly admin
ister any harmful drug. I will do all in my power
to elevate the standard of my profession, and will
hold in confidence all personal matters committed
to my keeping, and all family affairs coming to
my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With
loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his
work and devote myself to the welfare of those
committed to my care.”
With this, The Florence Nightingale Pledge,
Dorothea Jo Price began her student nurse train
ing in September, 1950 at the Memorial Mission
Hospital School of Nursing in Asheville. She
will graduate next year, being the first person to
finish the three-year nurse’s training under the
Ecusta Nurse’s Scholarship program.
"Dot” has forgotten most of the uncertainties
and scepticisms that she had when she first be
gan her work. Having the temperament for nurs
ing, she has gained knowledge and confidence
during the past two years. She is naturally friend
ly, and has a pleasing personality. Evidence of her
popularity was shown when she was elected vice-
president of the student body for this year. She
is enthusiastic and conscientious when she is with
patients assigned to her care, and has an honest
desire to help them.
Her classroom work is tedious and exacting.
Long hours are required in the studying of the
sciences and services, but she hasn’t objected to
any of it. She has worked very hard, and has
made exceptionally high grades in all of her stu
dies. She says -that the pleasant part of the train
ing comes when she is able to put into practice all
the things she has learned in the classroom.
Although she has time for recreation and to en
joy the company of other nurses, she is serious on
the job, because she realizes that her work is an
important service to humanity. Dot, like some
25,000 other graduating nurses in 1953, will help
fill the critical need for trained nurses.
Dot is already making plans for the future.
Dot checks on her progress with Mrs. Creasman,
Education Supervisor for the school of nursing.
After graduation she must pass a state examination
before being licensed as a Registered Nurse. She
wants to return to Transylvania County to practice
for two or three years, after which she wants to
take a post-graduate course and specialize in ob
stetrics.
Dot tells us that the money she receives from
the Ecusta Scholarship fund is paying about 90
percent of all her expenses. She said that she
would not have been able to take this training
without the scholarship.
There are five other local girls, receiving schol
arships from the company, who will follow Dot in
graduating from nurses training school. They are
Sarah Louise Mull, Helen Kathleen McCrary, Mir
iam Willinaham, Bonnie Lee Galloway and Paul
ine Brown.
Like Dot, all of these girls are making excep
tionally high marks as student nurses in various
hospitals. The company is proud of the fine rec
ords they are making, and the fact that we were
able to help with the expenses incurred during
their training. We are deeply grateful to the
Scholarship Comm.ittee for selecting such out
standing Transylvania girls to receive these schol
arships.
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