meetings message from the president · michelle keomany lauren g. kern erum khurshid rodaina...

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1 FALL 2020 THE READING HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF NURSING ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEETINGS Held in the Auditorium at the School of Health Sciences at 6:00PM unless otherwise noted. 1 contact hour awarded. If the school is closed, the meeting is canceled. September 22, 2020 “Frontlines of COVID” Cheryl Machemer DNP, RN, CCRN-K, Professional Development Practitioner October 27, 2020 “ TeleMedicine” Mary Bilotta MSN, RN, CNS, Clinical Manager Telemedi- cine March 23, 2021 “Pediatric Home Care” Sarah Romig RN April 27, 2021 “QPR (Question, persuade, refer): Steps to Prevent Suicide” Jennifer Zimmerman-Bates MSN, RN, AG-CNS(c) & Kate Radioski MSN RN-BC PMHNP May 18, 2021 “Clinical Judgement Model in Nursing Education” Sherry Murphy MSN, RN, CNE, Curriculum Coordinator RHSHS Nursing Program June 15, 2021 June Dinner Crowne Plaza Send All Correspondence To: Alumni Association of TRHSN, POB 6248, Wyomissing, PA 19610 or [email protected] Message from the President Hello fellow Alumni. By way of introduction my name is Shirley Dominick and I am your new President. I hope that all of you are safe and well during these unprecedented times. A bit of background about me, I am a 2015 graduate of the School of Health Sciences and have been involved in the Alumni since my graduation. I have held the posi- tions of 2nd VP, VP, Program Director and now President. I am current- ly enrolled in an MSN program with a specialty of Patient Safety and Quality from Southern New Hampshire University. God willing, I will complete the degree next July. I am currently employed at Reading Hos- pital in the Patient Safety Department as a Patient Safety Process man- ager and my team and I work to ensure that there is zero patient harm. Prior to this position, I worked as a PCA during nursing school and then became a bedside RN on the inpatient oncology floor. I also worked per -diem for a year for a home health agency. I look forward to meeting many of you at our general meetings and at our June Dinner which this year will celebrate both the class of ‘70 as well as the class of ‘71. We have great speakers lined up to present and hope that you will be able to attend. I would like to thank Carol Ann Ot- tey for her last 4 years of service as President. She has been a tremen- dous leader and role model. I certainly have very large shoes to fill. It is my hope that we end 2020 peacefully and are able to get back on track in 2021. Wishing all of you good health and safety as you read this newsletter.! Sincerely, Shirley Dominick A MESSAGE FROM YOUR PAST PRESIDENT: NOW IS THE TIME TO PRACTICE TRAGIC OPTIMISM BY Carol Ann Ottey MSN, RN, CRRN Hello everyone and happy fall. I did not anticipate that I would be writing you a message for the fall newsletter because I intended to speak at the June Dinner. But atlas, COVID 19 caused major alterations in my plans. Therefore, I want to thank the new Alumni Association president, Shirley Dominick, for sharing her newsletter space with me. Unprecedented times are what we are calling the past 5 months of 2020, The Year of the Nurse & Midwife. If anyone would have predicted the myriad of changes that we have encountered, I would have called it pre- posterous. As the weeks pass, lockdowns, quarantines, social distanc- ing, masks, persons out of work, no going to school, no doing leisure shopping, no elective surgeries, no spending time with people who we care about, illness and deaths of young and middle aged people as well as a terrible number of deaths within our elderly population have be- come commonplace. Overtime, the worry persons have about them- selves, families, finances and work generate much anxiety, anger, frus- tration and distress due to an increasingly uncertain future. Cont. on p. 4

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Page 1: MEETINGS Message from the President · Michelle Keomany Lauren G. Kern Erum Khurshid Rodaina Khurshid Stephanie Kramer Mackenzie Kriebel Sikira Dontania Lassiter-Valle Amelia Brynn

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FALL 2020 THE READING HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF NURSING ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

MEETINGS

Held in the Auditorium at the School of Health Sciences at

6:00PM unless otherwise noted. 1 contact hour awarded. If the school is closed,

the meeting is canceled.

September 22, 2020 “Frontlines of COVID” Cheryl Machemer DNP, RN, CCRN-K, Professional Development Practitioner October 27, 2020 “ TeleMedicine” Mary Bilotta MSN, RN, CNS, Clinical Manager Telemedi- cine March 23, 2021 “Pediatric Home Care” Sarah Romig RN April 27, 2021 “QPR (Question, persuade, refer): Steps to Prevent Suicide” Jennifer Zimmerman-Bates MSN, RN, AG-CNS(c) & Kate Radioski MSN RN-BC PMHNP May 18, 2021 “Clinical Judgement Model in Nursing Education” Sherry Murphy MSN, RN, CNE, Curriculum Coordinator RHSHS Nursing Program June 15, 2021 June Dinner Crowne Plaza

Send All Correspondence To: Alumni Association of TRHSN,

POB 6248, Wyomissing, PA 19610 or [email protected]

Message from the President

Hello fellow Alumni. By way of introduction my name is Shirley Dominick and I am your new President. I hope that all of you are safe and well during these unprecedented times. A bit of background about me, I am a 2015 graduate of the School of Health Sciences and have been involved in the Alumni since my graduation. I have held the posi-tions of 2nd VP, VP, Program Director and now President. I am current-ly enrolled in an MSN program with a specialty of Patient Safety and Quality from Southern New Hampshire University. God willing, I will complete the degree next July. I am currently employed at Reading Hos-pital in the Patient Safety Department as a Patient Safety Process man-ager and my team and I work to ensure that there is zero patient harm. Prior to this position, I worked as a PCA during nursing school and then became a bedside RN on the inpatient oncology floor. I also worked per-diem for a year for a home health agency. I look forward to meeting many of you at our general meetings and at our June Dinner which this year will celebrate both the class of ‘70 as well as the class of ‘71. We have great speakers lined up to present and hope that you will be able to attend. I would like to thank Carol Ann Ot-tey for her last 4 years of service as President. She has been a tremen-dous leader and role model. I certainly have very large shoes to fill. It is my hope that we end 2020 peacefully and are able to get back on track in 2021. Wishing all of you good health and safety as you read this newsletter.! Sincerely, Shirley Dominick

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR PAST PRESIDENT: NOW IS THE TIME TO PRACTICE TRAGIC OPTIMISM

BY Carol Ann Ottey MSN, RN, CRRN

Hello everyone and happy fall. I did not anticipate that I would be writing you a message for the fall newsletter because I intended to speak at the June Dinner. But atlas, COVID 19 caused major alterations in my plans. Therefore, I want to thank the new Alumni Association president, Shirley Dominick, for sharing her newsletter space with me. Unprecedented times are what we are calling the past 5 months of 2020, The Year of the Nurse & Midwife. If anyone would have predicted the myriad of changes that we have encountered, I would have called it pre-posterous. As the weeks pass, lockdowns, quarantines, social distanc-ing, masks, persons out of work, no going to school, no doing leisure shopping, no elective surgeries, no spending time with people who we care about, illness and deaths of young and middle aged people as well as a terrible number of deaths within our elderly population have be-come commonplace. Overtime, the worry persons have about them-selves, families, finances and work generate much anxiety, anger, frus-tration and distress due to an increasingly uncertain future. Cont. on p. 4

Page 2: MEETINGS Message from the President · Michelle Keomany Lauren G. Kern Erum Khurshid Rodaina Khurshid Stephanie Kramer Mackenzie Kriebel Sikira Dontania Lassiter-Valle Amelia Brynn

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New Graduates

Adam Andrew Althouse

Aaliyah Mikel Arroyo

Carly N. Bailey

Madison C. Beard

Rebecca M. Bender

Rachael Bicer

Brittany Alyce Billig

Whitney Alexis Breneiser

Athena V. Breneman

Elizabeth E. Burkey

George Christian Cairnie

Irina Elena Cieplinski

Stephany Milagros Clementi

Rebecca Lee Dawson

Gabrielle E. Donmoyer

Alaina Fallon Dutill

Kyrsten Nicole Dzurkovick

Liesel Anne Farrar

Jamin L. Flannery

Caroline Faith Frame

Alyssa Hanifa Gantert

Zenaida Gentile

Rachel Victoria Guilliams

Alisha Marie Gurley

Madeline Hermann

Neollea Hernandez

Amanda Kay Hoover

Dorothy Elizabeth Hume

Stephania Jacques

Michelle Keomany

Lauren G. Kern

Erum Khurshid

Rodaina Khurshid

Stephanie Kramer

Mackenzie Kriebel

Sikira Dontania Lassiter-Valle

Amelia Brynn Lewis

Samantha Noel Lichtner

Sarah Brooke Lopez

Elizabeth Ann Morris

Brennan Moyer

Julia Ashley Murray

Hannah Elizabeth Nabholz

Megan Elizabeth Nies

Katherine Apollonia Ochs

Abigail Olaewe

Olivia Elizabeth Pedia

Natalia Peguero

Briel Nicole Raifsnider

Marissa A. Ramich

Crystal Lynn Reber

Jessica Nicole Reber

Katie L. Riedel

Rebecca J. Rinehart

Zayla R. Adams Rivenburg

Lyndsey Anne Roesch

Tina Marie Roman

Gene C. Santiago

Courtney Schlappich

Lyndsey Aryn Seelig

Alexis Simmons

Erin Catherine Sommers

Tonny Alexander Vera

Maria Zoraida Vicens-Rodriguez

Madeline Rose Walasavage

Kaitlyn Elizabeth Walbert

Valerie Brooke Whisler

Deaths

Jane Felter Hamilton 1940

Irene Manbeck Snyder 1941

Marian Bricker Royer 1944

Bernice Tiley Manwiller* 1950

Barbara Nelson Dussinger* 1957

Margaret Kane Rogosky* 1957

Sandra Shoemaker Burkhart* 1958

Ann M. Renninger* 1961

Gladys Showers Kintzer 1963

Ann DeGarmo Moyer* 1963

Helen Geisinger McCreary 1965

Holly J Steidle* 1968

Linda Bitner Firestone* 1975

*Designates not an Alumni Member

A donation has been made to the Scholarship Fund to honor the memory of deceased Alumni members.

Contributions to the Alumni General Fund

Class of 1953

Helen Skrha Serafino

In memory of Eleanor Hayes

Pachuilo

Class of 1959

Jeanette Fiorindo Reinheimer

Class of 1963

Louise Harting Olmstead

D. Jacquelyne Davis March

In memory of Ann Marie

DeGarmo Moyer 1963

Class of 1968

Sandra Zimmerman Leiby

Class of 1970

Christine Belkey Buhrman

In memory of Linda Dressler

Scott 1970

Dorothy Schaffer Karpow

In honor of the class of 1970

reunion committee

RHSN Nursing Caps are still available from KAYSCAPS.COM

Page 3: MEETINGS Message from the President · Michelle Keomany Lauren G. Kern Erum Khurshid Rodaina Khurshid Stephanie Kramer Mackenzie Kriebel Sikira Dontania Lassiter-Valle Amelia Brynn

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Pay With PayPal Electronic banking is here! The Alumni Association can now ac-cept your dues via electronic pay-ment directly from your checking ac-count to the Alumni Association of the Reading Hospital School of Nursing PayPal account. If you choose this mode of payment please also email your current information, name, address and year of gradua-tion to [email protected]. Or as always you may return your member-ship card with the information. If you wish to have a membership card, please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Memories of the Class of 1970 By Tammy Fry Foreman 1970

As I am writing this letter, I am reminding myself that this is the year of the nurse and I am celebrating 50 yr. of being a graduate of the Reading Hospital School of Nursing. Well ladies, tomorrow is August 28, the year is 1967 and we are entering K or M building and meeting our roommate. So here is a walk down memory lane. Dissecting our cats in A&P lab, Chemistry with Mrs. Brown and Ms. Blatt, compulsory study, team leader and charge nurse experience and working night shift during the summer months. Dances in the Rec Hall, curfews and having to ring the buzzer when the door to your dorm is locked at 11pm. So here we are 53 yr. later and remembering so many things…the solemn capping ceremony with our Nightingale lamp, graduation and we still don’t know who put the dummy up in the Bell Tower or the For Sale sign in the lawn in front of the hospital. We formed friendships that have stood the test of time. So, here’s to reconnecting this year for our 50th year reunion. Because of Covid 19, we will be postponing our reunion but will celebrate together again.

Jane Felter Hamilton Dies at Age 101 Jane Louise Felter Hamilton, class of 1940, of Atlantic City, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on Sunday May 24, 2020 at the age of 101. Jane was born in Mari-on, Ohio and moved to Everett, PA at an early age. Fol-lowing in the footsteps of her mother, Jane pursued a career in nursing at Reading Hospital. Upon completing her training in 1940, she moved to Washington, DC where she took her first nursing job at George Washing-ton Hospital. In 1947 she came to Atlantic City and met Richard Jack-son, whom she married in 1948. They settled in Linwood, New Jersey and had two children together. Jane was a loving and hard-working mother of two, who worked multiple jobs at times to support her family. She continued working as a nurse until she retired in 1974 when she married her second husband, Joseph Hamilton in Margate, New Jersey. They spent a happy 24 years together until his passing in 1998. Jane maintained an active nursing license until she was 90 years old, just in case she was needed, and she was a lifelong member of the Reading Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association. Jane was always proud of her career and kept in close contact with former nursing classmates and colleagues. She attended Reading Hospital class reunions whenev-er possible and was one of the oldest surviving members of her class. She regularly attended the June dinners. Anyone who met Jane would note her warm smile and her kind and selfless nature. Jane always put the needs of others before her own. She was a loving and devoted mother to her two children, grandmother to 6 grandchildren, and a great-grandmother to 10 great-grandchildren.

Meet Linda Kenee Delong Hello, I’m Linda DeLong and I am serving as co-chair of the scholarship committee. I am a proud 1979 graduate of RHSN. I’ve also graduated from Kutztown University in 1985 and from the University of Maryland at Baltimore in 1991 (MS in psychiatric nurs-ing). I am ANCC certified as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (PMHCNS-BC), My career spans 40 years, all spent working at The Reading Hospital and includes working 11 of those years in outpatient mental health and the last 27 years as a faculty member of RHSN, the Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences as it is now named. I retired in December, 2019 and am happy to be spending more time having adventures with my family. I am also pleased to be able to take a more active role with our Alumni Association.

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NOW IS THE TIME TO PRACTICE TRAGIC OPTIMISM (Continued from p. 1)

In addition to observing precautions outlined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention such as dis-tancing from people, hand washing, masks, and avoiding those people who are ill, I came across the concept known as “tragic optimism” This is a term created by Viktor Frankl, the Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, from Vienna who authored the classic book, “Man’s Search for Meaning.” In his book he talks about experi-ences during his three years in concentration camps during World War II. Tragic optimism is the ability to maintain hope and find meaning in life despite inescapable pain, loss and suffering. It is not being unreasona-bly optimistic, something we call Pollyannaism, but rather it is finding examples of what things are going right. Although it is not an easy idea to consistently implement, I have been striving to make it work. I also have wit-nessed tons of examples of this behavior displayed by my nurse friends, neighbors and family. The benefit of adopting a spirit of tragic optimism is that it enables the person to grow through the adversity and develop deeper interpersonal relationships and a greater appreciation of life. Examples of behaviors that exemplify tragic optimism are running errands for the elderly or immunocompromised; writing thank you notes to health care personnel, teachers and services workers; buying lunches for workers in nursing home facilities; and even making a phone call to someone who you have not been able to visit. As nurses I believe the best we can do in the current pandemic situation is to reframe the situation and avoid pining for the way things used to be. Instead the challenge is to find ways to bring a bit of joy, happiness and comfort to others. That is exactly what nurses are great at accomplishing.

A Beautiful Reunion

Assisted living residents at the Village at Augsburg, near Baltimore, Mary-land, were preparing for a painting class with visiting artist Carol (Anthony) Morgan. Carol brought along her mother, Bonnie Pullis Anthony, class of 1945. Little did these women know that this painting class would lead to a beautiful reunion of childhood friends…. of Bonnie Pullis Anthony, and Edith Mengle Plymyer, class of 1947. One of Augsburg’s residents, Edith Plymyer happened to be walking by the painting room and noticed the easels. The women started talking and soon realized that both Bonnie and Edith were from the same small town, West Lawn, near Reading, Pennsylvania. They were friends who had attended the same grade school, went to the same Sunday School, and were also Camp Fire Girls together! The last time they saw each other was in 1967 (53 years ago) for their 25th high school reunion. They are both now 95, having birthdays within weeks of each other. They spent the entire afternoon catching up and reminiscing about old times - but never painted a thing!

News from Alumni

Married on Zoom at age 80! Doris Kolb, class of 1961 got married on May 19, 2020 on Zoom to Ralph Alderfer by her pastor. Her first wedding at age 80!

Congratulations!

S. Elizabeth Burkhart Abrams class of 1962 writes that she is busier than ever in retirement. Playing golf in the warmer months and playing bridge 3 to 5 days a week in the colder months. In the beginning of 2019 she went on a 17 day cruise New Zealand and Australia. She was also planning a river cruise on the Rhine, going from Basel, Swit-zerland to Amsterdam.

Thank You Thank you to Susan Klein Stultz class of 1972 for painting and pre-paring the gold painted lamps. The class of 1970 is looking forward to getting them next year.

Thank you to Deborah Lid-dicoat Kutz class of 1972 for ad-dressing and sending all of the Christmas card greetings to over 25 Alumni shut-ins.

We are still interested in your “treasures” from nursing school to add to our collection: casual photos from student days, class notes, graduation memorabilia and yearbooks, Nursing School and Reading Hospital publica-tions, as well as nursing related equip-ment are being collected. We cannot accept any more nursing capes.

Donations to BCCF Graduate Scholarships

Mary A. Wells Memory of Candace Gregory 1968 Mary Andes Allen Memory of Phyllis Ash Weber 1953

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Nursing 201 Online Education during the Covid-19 Pandemic Cheryl Moody and Tish McCrae, NRS 201 Faculty

On March 20, 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, sixty-seven Nursing 201 students and faculty rapidly transitioned to online education. NRS 201: Nursing Leadership/Critical Care is the final course in the nursing curriculum and addresses the concepts of professionalism, managing care, quality improvement, ethics, legal issues, informatics/technology, healthcare system, health policy, intracranial regulation, tissue integrity, mobility and perfusion. The clinical component of the course traditionally incudes care management experiences and critical care, COACH nurse and emergency department specialty experiences. To meet classroom objectives, NRS 201 students participated in Skype PowerPoint presentations, case studies and content reviews. Students and faculty used voice and instant messaging to interact with fellow stu-dent and faculty. Students completed two online examinations while instructors proctored students via Skype. Due to the suspension of in-person clinical experiences, students participated in online experiences. ATI tutorials and case studies were part of the online Covid-19 clinical experience. ATI Real Life, an interactive simulation tool, was an effective method to enhance student clinical judgment regarding various disease condi-tions such as gastrointestinal bleed, urinary tract infection, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmo-nary disease and myocardial infarction. Using the Edvance360 online learning management system, students completed biweekly reflective online discussion board posts on managing nursing care for the client with COVID-19, the socioeconomic, political and economic impact of Covid-19, and health disparities related to COVID-19. Each student posted a reflec-tion on the Nightingale Pledge and a personal nursing pledge, which faculty found inspiring. Through discus-sion board posts and responses, students reflected on the poem "IF' by Rudyard Kipling in relationship to nurs-ing practice and the current pandemic. Clinical discussion boards also included health disparities associated with chronic mental and physical illness (Life and Music of Jackson C. Frank) and healthcare errors and moral courage (Dr. Berwick speech/Captain Crozier!). During Skype post-conferences, students and faculty respond-ed to students’ insightful posts and participated in clinical group discussions. Students and faculty participated in an online Edvance360 discussion board entitled Acts of Kindness, that included inspirational and encouraging messages from faculty, students and RHSN alumni. Throughout the online educational experience, students and faculty stayed in touch through one-to-one online meetings. At the conclusion of the course, students and faculty participated in an online wrap-up post-conference that included the growth and development of the student nurse and faculty tips for the graduate nurse. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, through student and faculty flexibility, students met the NRS 201 course objectives. Faculty valued the online education experience and students were prepared for the NCLEX-RN and future online education and writing assignments.

Graduation for the Class of 2020 By Margo Hollenbach

Graduation was very different for the Class of 2020. In February the nursing faculty and administration be-gan monitoring the COVID situation closely and actively preparing for the possibility of needing to teach online. In March faculty were told to send students home and transfer all classroom and clinical teaching to online. This created a challenging situation for the faculty and students, but all rose to the occasion. Many faculty members worked 12 or more hours a day to ensure that the students would be prepared for NCLEX and to start their professional careers. On Friday April 24th 66 nursing students graduated from the School of Health Sciences. Faculty and admin-istration considered ways to honor the graduates for their perseverance under such unique circumstances. April (Kooken) Gerhart, Class of 2005, put together a video featuring the nursing faculty congratulating the graduates and wishing them well. This was posted on the Class of 2020’s Facebook page and the School of Health Science’s Facebook page. Dr. Debbie Rahn recorded a graduation video that was sent to all the students. She included her own gradu-ation remarks, as well as statements from the President and Chairman of the Board for Reading Hospital. Each student was asked to submit a picture of themselves in their graduation gown. Dr. Debbie Rahn then read each student’s name as picture of the students was displayed. Hearing their name read helped them to feel the accomplishment of all their hard work. Seeing the photos of their classmates allowed them to share the gradua-tion moment. The Class of 2020 faced further obstacles as they attempted to take their licensure examination. With the COVID restrictions, many testing centers had very limited times to test. Many graduates traveled to New Jer-sey, Maryland, or Delaware to take their exam. Initial results for the NCLEX pass rate will not be available until October, but school administration is closely monitoring progress, and faculty members continue to reach out to graduates to offer help and support in preparing for their exam. The Class of 2020 showed great resilience in unprecedented times. We wish them well as they embark on their nursing career in a profession that is changing faster than ever.

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Graduate Scholarships Available

The Graduate Nurse Scholarship is available to any member or associate member of the Alumni Associa-tion of The Reading Hospital School of Nursing. Successful applicants must be enrolled in a NLN (National League for Nursing) and/or CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education) approved program and must be in pursuit of a Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, or Doctoral Degree in Nursing. Apply be-tween January 15 and March 15 through Berks County Community Foundation at https://bccf.academicworks.com/

Reimbursement for BLS and Certifications

Alumni members can be reimbursed for earning a BLS certificate or recertification certificate. Alumni mem-bers can also be reimbursed for certification or recertification in a nursing specialty. Members are reimbursed on a first come first served basis while monies last. For both BLS or specialty certification reimbursement submit proof of payment for it, proof of successful certification, your name, address, phone number, email ad-dress, year graduated from RHSN, and are you an active member of the Alumni, yes or no. Mail to: Alumni Association of TRHSN, POB 6248, Wyomissing, PA 19610.

Scholarships Awarded

The Alumni Association working with the Berks County Community Foundation has awarded three gradu-ate scholarships this spring for a total of $9,000.00. The Graduate Nurse Scholarship Fund of Berks County Community Foundation was established in 1919 to honor three graduates who died while serving in World War I, Marie Hidell, Eleanor Cassidy, and Mary J. Scheirer. The following Alumni members received awards from this fund this spring: Shirley Dominick for a MSN, Micah Kidd for a MSN, and Lori Beard for a Doctorate degree. The Alumni Association working with the Berks County Community Foundation also named Leisel Farrar as the recipient of the Beth Lynn Negley Manweiler Award this spring. This award goes to a graduating sen-ior who has demonstrated compassionate care during their training. Congratulations to these recipients!

Three Alumni Died in 1918 of Spanish Influenza

Most of us never thought we would live through a pandemic with shut downs like this coronavirus is caus-ing. We are constantly hearing how this pandemic is similar to the Spanish Influenza in 1918. The Alumnae Association of the Reading Hospital School of Nursing lost three of our members to the Spanish Influenza in 1918. The one best known is Marie Hidell. Marie was born in 1878 and graduated from RHSN in 1902. From 1902 to 1918 she worked for Hiester Muhlenberg, an obstetrician. Also, during that time she served on the Investigating Committee of the Alumnae Association. In 1918 she joined the Red Cross and served in the Navy to be of service to our country during WWI. She was assigned to the Naval Hospital in Philadelphia to treat sailors afflicted with the Spanish flu. According to Barry Kauffman, a historian, “She treated 180 patients in one night because no one else would care for them.” She eventually caught the flu and died of the disease on September 28, 1918. For this dedication she was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously. Only four wom-en have ever received the Navy Cross. The Navy Cross was given to the Alumni Association of the Reading Hospital School of Nursing for display on June 15, 2010. Mary Scheirer was born in 1894 and graduated from RHSN in 1914. From 1914 to 1917 she worked as a private duty nurse in Reading Hospital. In 1917 she enlisted in the Army during WWI. She died of the influ-enza in 1918 while in service at Debarkation Hospital #1 on Ellis Island. Likewise, Eleanor Cassidy was born in 1872 and graduated from RHSN in 1895. She was an Army nurse during the Spanish American War and WWI. She died in 1918 of influenza while serving at Base Hospital, Camp Merritt, New Jersey. After WWI the Graduate Nurse Scholarship was started in honor of these three nurses. The first Graduate Scholarship was awarded in 1920. This scholarship goes to an Alumni who is studying for an advanced de-gree. Since its inception, the Alumni Association has awarded $116,281.00 to 153 recipients. Read about this year’s recipients below. This scholarship represents one of the ways the Alumni Association helps to pro-mote the profession of Nursing.

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PLEASE SAVE THESE FORMS AND USE THEM FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE AND OURS

RHSN SCHOLARSHIP DONATIONS

Please accept my donation of $___________ to be used as follows: My donation is In Honor Of, In Memory Of,

Other _______________________________________

(name of honored person or institution)

Please make check payable to: Berks County Community Foundation, 237 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601

Donor Name (first, maiden, last) _______________________________________ Class ___________

Address: ___________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________Phone(___)__________

Please acknowledge my donation to:

Name: ____________________________________________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________________________________________

You have my permission to print the above information (____) YES (____) NO Amounts will not be published. The official registration and financial information of Berks County Community Foundation may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of

State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania,1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

Student Scholarship Fund

Graduate Scholarship Fund

GENERAL FUND DONATIONS Please accept my donation of $_____ which is ___In Honor of ___In Memory of______________________. Make check payable to: The Alumni Assn. RHSN, P.O. Box 6248, Wyomissing, PA 19610 Donor Name (first, maiden, last)_____________________________________________Class______ Address:_________________________________________________________________Phone__________ Acknowledge the Donation to: Name __________________________________ Address_____________________________________________________________________________ You have my permission to print the above information (___) YES (___) NO Amounts will not be published. PA Law request us to inform you that “a copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the PA Department of State by calling toll-free, within PA, 800.732.0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.”

We need your news to make this a NEWSLETTER! Share the news about marriages, births, new positions, promotions, retirements, class reun-ions, special interest groups, hobbies and other items of interest to:

Editor, The Alumni Connection, Box 6248, Wyomissing, PA 19610

Or you may e-mail the Alumni at [email protected]

Please Note: news/articles may be edited for space and content

NAME (First)________________(Maiden)___________________(Last)_____________________

Name at Graduation ____________________________________Class of _________________

Mailing Address __________________________________________________________________

News: _______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Please attach additional paper for your announcement if needed.

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The Alumni Association of the Reading Hospital School of Nursing Kaaren Boyer Orquiza

POB 6248 Wyomissing, PA 19610 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Non-profit Org.

U.S. postage

PAID

Reading, PA

Permit No. 439

To make sure that you get your newsletter as timely as possible notify the Association of any changes in your address.

MAIL THAT IS POSTED USING A BULK RATE PERMIT CAN NOT BE FORWARDED BY THE POST OFFICE.

The Association is charged first class postage for each piece of bulk mail returned.

Deadline for articles to be printed in the Spring 2021 Issue is March 1, 2021

Remember to include your year & name upon graduation.

Send items of interest to:

Editor, Alumni Connection, POB 6248, Wyomissing, PA 19610

Or

You may e-mail the Editor at [email protected]

September 22, 2020 at 6 PM

“Frontlines of COVID”