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Nurses celebrate 50th reunion during Orlando Health's centennial year
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Thirty-six accomplished women, who graduated in 1968 as registered nurses from what was then Orange Memorial Hospital's (OMH) School of Nursing, will return to the place where their careers began 50 years ago. On Saturday, May 19, the women, who range in age from 69 to 75 will visit and tour Orlando Health's downtown campus, which this year, commemorates its 100th anniversary.
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"These ladies achieved an important milestone in 1968," said Jayne Willis, Vice President of Nursing for Orlando Health. "They share a history with and perspective about this organization that only a few others can claim. We are honored that they made a point of including us in their 50th reunion."
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Included on the tour is a stop in what was the nurses' dormitory; the McCormick building. The building opened as the nurse's dorm in 1959 and is now the oldest building on Orlando Health's downtown campus. It was named after Edna May McCormick, a 27-year member of the hospital's board of directors who, upon her death, bequeathed $275,000 for the new building. In 1968, the dormitory housed more than 200 nursing students as well as six house-mothers who kept close watch over their charges.
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The RNs visiting Orlando Health were part of the 67-member senior class whose motto was: The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer. Many of the women have gone on to achieve national and world-wide recognition. Some entered the military, became involved in Congress, travelled the world in high levels of government initiating health programs, performed healthcare all over the world and made careers as executives in nursing. Alexis Brannon, who graduated as Laure Lee Howard, is an accomplished author. She draws upon her experiences in healthcare and in Central Florida for elements used in her mystery novels.
The RNs visiting Orlando Health were part of the 67-member senior class whose motto was: The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer. Many of the women have gone on to achieve national and world-wide recognition. Some entered the military, became involved in Congress, travelled the world in high levels of government initiating health programs, performed healthcare all over the world and made careers as executives in nursing. Alexis Brannon, who graduated as Laure Lee Howard, is an accomplished author. She draws upon her experiences in healthcare and in Central Florida for elements used in her mystery novels.
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"The graduates of OMH School of Nursing are a sisterhood," said Alexis Brannon, RN, CRNA, ARNP. "We began a lifetime of service with the skills and principals taught us in our professional education. For me, it evolved into a 42 year career in Level One Trauma anesthesia all over the U.S. and now into a retirement career as a successful author based on that training and experience. Every one of us gave service in the care of patients and we are very proud to be graduates of OMH." Following the tour, attendees will be treated to a fun-filled high tea that includes (in addition to finger sandwiches and petite pastries) a stroll down memory lane. In anticipation of Orlando Health's centennial celebration, all Orange Memorial Hospital School of Nursing yearbooks - the "White Cap" - have been digitized enabling the women to once again flip through the pages of their senior yearbook.
"The graduates of OMH School of Nursing are a sisterhood," said Alexis Brannon, RN, CRNA, ARNP. "We began a lifetime of service with the skills and principals taught us in our professional education. For me, it evolved into a 42 year career in Level One Trauma anesthesia all over the U.S. and now into a retirement career as a successful author based on that training and experience. Every one of us gave service in the care of patients and we are very proud to be graduates of OMH." Following the tour, attendees will be treated to a fun-filled high tea that includes (in addition to finger sandwiches and petite pastries) a stroll down memory lane. In anticipation of Orlando Health's centennial celebration, all Orange Memorial Hospital School of Nursing yearbooks - the "White Cap" - have been digitized enabling the women to once again flip through the pages of their senior yearbook.
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The link to all but one digital yearbook is here. The 1969 yearbook is currently being processed and has not yet been included on the site.
The link to all but one digital yearbook is here. The 1969 yearbook is currently being processed and has not yet been included on the site.
