A Nurse in Time: My Life as a Trainee Nurse in the 1930s

"ItmustbestressedfromthestartthatIwasnotabornnurse.Noteverygirlis.Noteverynurseiseither,howeverwholeheartedlyshemaythrowherselfintotheprojectonceshegetsgoing.Bornnursescanbeeasilyrecognised.Theyhavealittlesomethingtheothershaven'tgotwhichneverseemstodesertthemhoweverdesperatethecircumstancesmaybecome"?DesperatecircumstancesweresomethingEvelynPrentishadtogetveryusedtowhenshebeganherlifeasanurse.Itwasin1934thatEvelynlefthomeforthefirsttimetoenrollasatraineeatabusyNottinghamhospitalinthehopeof￡25ayear.ANurseinTimeisheraffectionateandfunnyaccountofthosedaysofdedicationandhardship,whennever–endingnightshifts,strictnuns,andpermanenthungerruledlife,andjoywastobefoundinalate–nightpassandapacketofWoodbinecigarettes.