Most of us are unclear about the career path we wish to take, but our speaker this evening Meg Farmer had fixed ideas on her choice from her teens. She wanted to be a doctor, but sadly she was not academically strong enough to pursue that option so chose the closest route and trained to be a nurse. Mrs Farmer took us back to the start of her training some 50 years ago. These were the days of strict discipline, trainee nurses living in the Nurses’ quarters where the windows were secured to ensure no visitors were secreted into the quarters. Nurse’s training focused on the “caring” of the patients, a nurse had to capable of carrying out all tasks – from washing and toileting the patient to cleaning the ward ,to folding bandages and anything else that Sister commanded. There was a strict hierarchy, and it wasn’t until she qualified that she actually “spoke” to a consultant. Meg in her early years of nursing had the opportunity to experience the different areas of health care – her particular favourite was maternity, bringing many babies into the world. After returning to nursing after a break to bring up her own family, she chose to go into the Family Planning Clinic and had many years covering all aspects of family planning. Retiring after a back injury, Meg looks back with fondest on her career in nursing. She reflected that the nursing profession is very different now and is saddened that the caring element seems to have taken a back seat, and nurses expected to carry out lots of complex treatments previously performed by a doctor- which is commendable but maybe to the detriment of the fundamental aspect of nursing.

The President then informed members of events happening in the next few months both locally and throughout Worcestershire.Cookhill WI meets the second Wednesday of each month 7.30pm at Cookhill Village Hall, providing a variety of speakers to suit all tastes together with opportunities to participate in classes and enjoy trips out to interesting venues. New members very welcome.