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Memories of a scrub nurse
M e m o r i e s of a Scrub N u r s e Vina Isach Brooks, RN Richmond, Virginia
This article presents remembrances of Dr Evarts A. Graham in surgery by his scrub nurse during the years of 1945 to 1947. (Ann Thorac Surg 1996;62:600)
s a s e n i o r s t u d e n t n u r s e at W a s h i n g t o n U n i v e r s i t y School of N u r s i n g * in St. Louis in 1945, I chose as m y s e n i o r elective to w o r k in the o p e r a t i n g r o o m at B a r n e s Hospital. B e c a u s e t h e s e w e r e the w a r years a n d so m a n y of the r e g i s t e r e d n u r s e s h a d left to join v a r i o u s m i l i t a r y services, I was m a d e h e a d n u r s e of o p e r a t i n g r o o m 1, w h i c h w a s Dr Evarts A. G r a h a m ' s o p e r a t i n g room. B e c a u s e I was a v e r y y o u n g girl f r o m a v e r y small t o w n in s o u t h e r n Illinois, I, at the time, did not fully realize the i m p o r t a n c e of m y boss. It was a w h i l e b e f o r e I k n e w h o w f a m o u s he was. He was always a g e n t e e l g e n t l e m a n . H e n e v e r h a d a harsh w o r d for this u p s t a r t of a scrub nurse; he n e v e r d e m a n d e d respect, b u t b e c a u s e of his humility, he was r e s p e c t e d by all. D o c t o r G r a h a m was a v e r y r o u t i n e - o r i e n t e d s u r g e o n (Fig 1). Miss H e l e n L a m b g a v e all his anesthesia. W e had to m a k e certain t h e r e w e r e soft scrub b r u s h e s in the scrub r o o m for him. A f t e r only a few weeks, I c o u l d anticipate his next m o v e . I s p e n t m a n y n i g h t s t h r e a d i n g straight n e e d l e s w i t h 4-0 silk for skin sutures. O n c e w h e n The A m e r i c a n Association for T h o r a c i c S u r g e r y m e t in St. Louis, Dr G r a h a m s c h e d u l e d a p n e u m o n e c t o m y a n d i n v i t e d m e m b e r s to o b s e r v e the o p e r a tion in the e n c l o s e d glass o b s e r v a t i o n gallery. W h i l e he was e x p l a i n i n g each step to his a u d i e n c e , he h a d his h a n d out a n d l placed his t o u r n i q u e t , w h i c h he u s e d in p n e u m o n e c t o m i e s for m a s s ligation, in his h a n d . D o c t o r G r a h a m l o o k e d at me, a n d m y heart sank, w o n d e r i n g w h a t I h a d d o n e w r o n g . H e l o o k e d up at his colleagues, and he said, " S h e could do this as well as l can." Talk a b o u t an ego booster! It s o o n b e c a m e one of m y duties to instruct interns as to o p e r a t i n g r o o m protocol. I r e m e m b e r m a n y harsh looks from m a n y i n t e r n s as I told t h e m w h e r e to stand, w h e n to suction, and so on. But, 1 think, by the end of
A
Address reprint requests to Mrs Brooks, 8714 Standish, 1A, Richmond, VA 23229. * Disbanded in 1969 to become Barnes ttospital of Nursing; moved to University of Missouri in 1995.
© 1996 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Published by Elsevier Science Inc
Fig 1. Doctor Evarts A. Graham in the operating room, 1946.
their rotations 1 h a d m a d e s o m e friends a n d s a v e d a lot of e m b a r r a s s i n g m o m e n t s . If t h e r e was a p r o b l e m , Dr G r a h a m was always available, that is, if y o u w e r e lucky e n o u g h to get by Miss H a n v e y (Dr G r a h a m ' s s e c r e t a r y of m a n y years). I m a d e one v e r y g o o d " f r i e n d " f r o m the housestaff who, in 1947, b e c a m e m y h u s b a n d . He is a P r o f e s s o r of S u r g e r y a n d a thoracic s u r g e o n . I a m certain he has p a t t e r n e d his m o r a l s a n d m e d i c a l ethics after s u c h greats as Dr G r a h a m a n d Dr Isaac Bigger. But at the b e g i n n i n g of m y h u s b a n d ' s i n t e r n s h i p , Dr G r a h a m saw h i m d o i n g foolish things: s l e e p i n g on a stretcher, kissing a s t u d e n t nurse. W h e n 1 c a m e to w o r k one day, flashing m y e n g a g e m e n t ring, Dr G r a h a m said, " A n d w h o is the lucky y o u n g m a n ? " 1 said, " D r Brooks." His r e p l y was, " N o t our Dr Brooks." For a w e d d i n g gift, he sent us a s e r v i n g table, w h i c h we still treasure. After I left Barnes H o s p i t a l t h e r e w e r e t i m e s that we saw Dr G r a h a m at thoracic m e e t i n g s . H e was always f r i e n d l y and gracious. O n l y later did I fully realize h o w f o r t u n a t e I h a d b e e n to h a v e h a d this giant in m y life.
0003-49751961515.00 PI1 S0003-4975(96)00417-1
This article presents remembrances of Dr Evarts A. Graham in surgery by his scrub nurse during the years of 1945 to 1947. (Ann Thorac Surg 1996;62:600)
s a s e n i o r s t u d e n t n u r s e at W a s h i n g t o n U n i v e r s i t y School of N u r s i n g * in St. Louis in 1945, I chose as m y s e n i o r elective to w o r k in the o p e r a t i n g r o o m at B a r n e s Hospital. B e c a u s e t h e s e w e r e the w a r years a n d so m a n y of the r e g i s t e r e d n u r s e s h a d left to join v a r i o u s m i l i t a r y services, I was m a d e h e a d n u r s e of o p e r a t i n g r o o m 1, w h i c h w a s Dr Evarts A. G r a h a m ' s o p e r a t i n g room. B e c a u s e I was a v e r y y o u n g girl f r o m a v e r y small t o w n in s o u t h e r n Illinois, I, at the time, did not fully realize the i m p o r t a n c e of m y boss. It was a w h i l e b e f o r e I k n e w h o w f a m o u s he was. He was always a g e n t e e l g e n t l e m a n . H e n e v e r h a d a harsh w o r d for this u p s t a r t of a scrub nurse; he n e v e r d e m a n d e d respect, b u t b e c a u s e of his humility, he was r e s p e c t e d by all. D o c t o r G r a h a m was a v e r y r o u t i n e - o r i e n t e d s u r g e o n (Fig 1). Miss H e l e n L a m b g a v e all his anesthesia. W e had to m a k e certain t h e r e w e r e soft scrub b r u s h e s in the scrub r o o m for him. A f t e r only a few weeks, I c o u l d anticipate his next m o v e . I s p e n t m a n y n i g h t s t h r e a d i n g straight n e e d l e s w i t h 4-0 silk for skin sutures. O n c e w h e n The A m e r i c a n Association for T h o r a c i c S u r g e r y m e t in St. Louis, Dr G r a h a m s c h e d u l e d a p n e u m o n e c t o m y a n d i n v i t e d m e m b e r s to o b s e r v e the o p e r a tion in the e n c l o s e d glass o b s e r v a t i o n gallery. W h i l e he was e x p l a i n i n g each step to his a u d i e n c e , he h a d his h a n d out a n d l placed his t o u r n i q u e t , w h i c h he u s e d in p n e u m o n e c t o m i e s for m a s s ligation, in his h a n d . D o c t o r G r a h a m l o o k e d at me, a n d m y heart sank, w o n d e r i n g w h a t I h a d d o n e w r o n g . H e l o o k e d up at his colleagues, and he said, " S h e could do this as well as l can." Talk a b o u t an ego booster! It s o o n b e c a m e one of m y duties to instruct interns as to o p e r a t i n g r o o m protocol. I r e m e m b e r m a n y harsh looks from m a n y i n t e r n s as I told t h e m w h e r e to stand, w h e n to suction, and so on. But, 1 think, by the end of
A
Address reprint requests to Mrs Brooks, 8714 Standish, 1A, Richmond, VA 23229. * Disbanded in 1969 to become Barnes ttospital of Nursing; moved to University of Missouri in 1995.
© 1996 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Published by Elsevier Science Inc
Fig 1. Doctor Evarts A. Graham in the operating room, 1946.
their rotations 1 h a d m a d e s o m e friends a n d s a v e d a lot of e m b a r r a s s i n g m o m e n t s . If t h e r e was a p r o b l e m , Dr G r a h a m was always available, that is, if y o u w e r e lucky e n o u g h to get by Miss H a n v e y (Dr G r a h a m ' s s e c r e t a r y of m a n y years). I m a d e one v e r y g o o d " f r i e n d " f r o m the housestaff who, in 1947, b e c a m e m y h u s b a n d . He is a P r o f e s s o r of S u r g e r y a n d a thoracic s u r g e o n . I a m certain he has p a t t e r n e d his m o r a l s a n d m e d i c a l ethics after s u c h greats as Dr G r a h a m a n d Dr Isaac Bigger. But at the b e g i n n i n g of m y h u s b a n d ' s i n t e r n s h i p , Dr G r a h a m saw h i m d o i n g foolish things: s l e e p i n g on a stretcher, kissing a s t u d e n t nurse. W h e n 1 c a m e to w o r k one day, flashing m y e n g a g e m e n t ring, Dr G r a h a m said, " A n d w h o is the lucky y o u n g m a n ? " 1 said, " D r Brooks." His r e p l y was, " N o t our Dr Brooks." For a w e d d i n g gift, he sent us a s e r v i n g table, w h i c h we still treasure. After I left Barnes H o s p i t a l t h e r e w e r e t i m e s that we saw Dr G r a h a m at thoracic m e e t i n g s . H e was always f r i e n d l y and gracious. O n l y later did I fully realize h o w f o r t u n a t e I h a d b e e n to h a v e h a d this giant in m y life.
0003-49751961515.00 PI1 S0003-4975(96)00417-1