April 5, 2004
I feel compelled to reply to this article (“Filling
Stations,” March 8). I am
a retired RN—just a registered “professional”
nurse—previously licensed in New York
state and then in California. I graduated from
a diploma school of nursing, and later in my
career I taught med/surg in the same school.
I took liberal arts classes at a local university
while teaching in order to satisfy National
League for Nursing requirements for certification.
I participated in establishing goals and objectives,
in addition to helping to develop curricula
and clinical experience objectives. I recall
that only three to four of my students, out
of about 60 to 70, did not pass the state boards
the first time. I worked very hard and was proud
of my students, many of whom proceeded to obtain
their BSNs.
I’m telling you this because about seven
years ago, that school was closed due to financial
constraints, as were many other diploma schools.
Diploma schools definitely filled a need then,
and I believe that they could now.
At our hospital here, we have some “old
time” diploma grads and RNs with BSNs.
They are working side by side and all are providing
excellence in patient care. We also provide
clinical experience for a local college of nursing,
which is turning away students for lack of faculty.
My school was St. James Mercy Hospital School
of Nursing in Hornell, N.Y. “My”
hospital here in Oregon is Three Rivers Community
Hospital in Grants Pass. I am so proud to be
affiliated with both.
Hospital-based programs should be reinstated,
along with college-provided programs. Let’s
get politics out of nursing.
MARYJANE ARMSTRONG,
RN (RETIRED)
Grants Pass, Ore.
