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Theories of nursing continue to be developed to enhance nursing but helped by reduced staffing and budgets, talking to and spending time with a patient can still be seen as a waste of time in actual work situations.
Temporary beds can still be found in the corridors of acute mental health units and A&E (accident & emergency) departments when demand outstrips resources.
Yo greatly values the letter of appreciation she received from the Hospital board in December 1970, thanking her for her help in providing the excellent service to the community at the Maternity Hospital in the absence of a permanent Sister-in Charge.
The small maternity hospital closed in 1982 as the birth rate had decreased. In the 1970s new technology became based at the larger centres and private transport more readily available.
When Yo finally retired from nursing duties in the 1990s she was presented with a whitee-bait net reflecting one of her favourite recreations.
Nursing care did not stop for Yo, as she cared for her Mother in her final illness and continues to provide twenty four hour care for her husband. Respite care at a local hospital provides some opportunity to follow the whitebait and other interests.
Yolande Coneybeer (nee Woodhouse)
(Nursing Sister)
Thank-you Yolande, for an insight into hospital and nursing changes.
An Autoclaving Drum (canister)
This a small version of the drums used at Foxton Maternity. It was kept full, sterilized and ready for Dr Teppett to have in his car for when attending accidents.
For the Hospital, anything that needed to be sterile was put into similar but larger drums and sent to Palmerston North Hospital via their truck, to be sterilized.
Thank you to Yolande Coneybeer
Two Friends Remember
Cornering a 'possum in the wood shed, (which was a tin water tank lying on its side,) was nurse-aid Lynette. She thought she would get the 'possum, but it shot out of the wood pile and took off over her shoulder and it got her!
We remember Hettie's rhubarb that she cooked up and left in the fridge for us to help ourselves to while on night-duty. So yummy with tinned milk!
We also remember Hettie's overnight pudding which everybody enjoyed too, until the ingredients were revealed!