| Show iT I I II i BYI BERT LUCKY BOYACK E I- I S a t S b. b r S GERTRUDE E E. E DAVIS THIS WEEK Gertrude E E. E Davis RN Public Health Nurse East 1050 South S Bountiful Utah I A career in nursing came early in Gertrude E E. E Daviss Davis's life She was born in the small town of Des Moines NM Her mother a widow taught in the countI country school and she ran a boarding house DURING THE flu epidemic they cared for ill people night and day The doctors doctor's wife an RN was invaluable helping helping helping help help- ing mother Gertrude recalls and our large rooming house became a hospital hospital- Patients were numerous because because because be be- cause many people were locating locating locating lo lo- cating in that part of the New Mexico Territory as homesteaders I ClI became very fond of the doctors doctor's wife Mrs Bassatt and I knew that I wanted to be a nurse when I grew up I know now that I was surely motivated in such a way I did not change my mind THEY LATER moved to Farmington NM where her mother was elected County Superintendent of Elementary Schools in San Juan County Her mother visited the schools driving the distances in a aModel aModel aModel Model T Ford over tracks not roads Gertrude vividly remembers the many times she accompanied her mother however I III honestly dont don't remember when I learned to drive the car But I do remember remember remember re re- re- re member the cranking and cranking pouring hot water over the manifold to get the Model T started I III honestly believe the best invention in my way of thinking thinking thinking think think- ing was the self starter used on cars It is amazing to compare a Model T with a power steering power braked self starting motor IT SEEMS to me that the young people growing up in today's society are at a disadvantage disadvantage disadvantage dis dis- dis- dis advantage because they enjoy so many advantages She completed high school in May 1929 and left home the following month for Denver to pursue an education in the field of nursing I III traveled the distance by train leaving leaving leaving leav leav- ing on the Narrow Gauge train to Pueblo Colorado This is the same train that runs the scenic tour from Durango Colorado to Pueblo during the tourist season now I Ithen Ithen Ithen then made connections to Denver Z I 1 THINK young people were just as anxious to leave their homes and family Camily and try their wings when I was 18 years old as they are toda today Gertrude opined Her mother and a few close relatives did not approve of her nursing career and therefore therefore there there- fore it became even more important that she make a success of oC her chosen career MY CLAN were teachers of home economics and they couldn't understand why I had such a determination to todo todo todo do something different I I- I really didn't know either she admits Gertrude gained her professional professional professional position some three years later She had completed completed completed com com- her training at St. St Lukes Luke's Hospital school of Nursing which she felt had used all her thinking facilities facilities ties all her muscles and both feet for walking was paramount HER FIRST professional position position po po- position was as an industrial nurse for the six companies who were constructing Hoover Dam at Boulder Nev in 1932 Later she was employed as a county nurse for Clark County Nev What an experience experience experience ex ex- ex- ex for a young nurse she added After all this was during the depression and people came from Crom every eyer where all types and kinds looking for employment Most of oC these people existed existed existed ex ex- isted in a place called Hoover Town Sanitation was simply a word in the dictionary as they lived in shacks of cardboard cardboard cardboard card card- board boxes and tin cans cansor cansor cansor or any other material which they could scrape together for shelter GERTRUDES GERTRUDE'S illusions of grandeur or glamour were short lived for she soon realized realized realized re re- re- re that in this discipline of nursing one did not wear the perky nurses nurse's cap and white uniform Public Health Nursing among so many depressed depressed depressed de de- de- de pressed people was surely a challenge to me I III owned a Model A Ford and was the chauffeur for the county physician We cared for every diagnosis and some illnesses that were not diagnosed diagnosed diagnosed nosed anything from typhoid to delivering babies THIS TIllS WAS her work for two years at which time lime she received received re reo a Civil Service appointment appointment appointment appoint appoint- ment in the northwest She was employed by the Veterans' Veterans Administration Administration at a psychiatric psychiatric i atric hospital at American Lake Washington in 1937 when she was transferred to Salt Lake City and the Veterans Veterans' Veterans Veterans' Veterans Veterans' Veter Veter- ans' ans Hospital in 1942 Gertrude was married to John B B. B Davis District Engineer Engineer Engi neer for Cor South Eastern Refrigerator Refrigerator Refrigerator Company Salt Lake City and they made their home in Bountiful Their eldest daughter Mrs Harvey Jean Schmidt is an RN and lives in California She has a four- four year old old ar-old daughter Their other two daughters are students at the University of Utah Sue is in her junior year in the college of nursing and Nancy is a sophomore and her interests interests in in- are in education GERTRUDE has been with the Public Health Department Department Depart Depart- ment in Davis County for the past 22 years Her work includes includes includes in in- the promotion of oC community community community com com- and family health and the prevention of dis dis- ease In the school she is concerned with the health of the children teaching them healthful ul living practices as aswell aswell aswell well as acting as consultant in all health matters in the theIs school ch I Is As a public health nurse II end endeavor vor to keep abreast of new developments in m the health field 1 attend workshops workshops workshops work work- shops seminars as my schedule schedule sched sched- ule allows i EXPERIENCES in all disciplines disciplines disciplines dis dis- dis- dis of nursing has helped 1 me understand and work with people As an RN you become become become be be- come a teacher a case worker work- work er er cr a friend as well as a nurse to all kinds of people who are in all kinds of pre pre- I try to help people people peo pee to help themselves so that they find satisfaction I Mrs Davis enjoys most her hobby or her educational pursuit pursuit pursuit pur pur- suit with her membership inthe in inthe inthe the Utah Historical Society The study of Utah History is very interesting as are the tours to the historical monuments monuments monuments ments in the state When time permits she also enjoys gardening and sewing She was one of the early members members members mem mem- bers of Bountiful Community Church and has participated actively in organization IN CONCLUSION she says If you have nursing in m mind take it from a veteran hav have patience and fortitude and I life will bring you a wealth of happiness |
