Sylvan Spooner on Early Stalwarts in Nursing Care in Barbados
EARLY STALWARTS IN NURSING CARE IN BARBADOS By, Sylvan Spooner NURSE THELMA HAMBLIN Born in 1915, Thelma Hamblin was educated at the St. Michael Girls School. After completing her exams, she joined the staff at the Barbados General Hospital on April 1st 1936. Hers was no foolhardy decision, although a few days later she was ‘shocked’ and her resolved tested when she caught glimpse of a cadaver for the first time in that hospital’s mortuary. [1] Shocked, but unperturbed, she continued on her path of care and service. Thelma had found her calling in caring. Nurse Hamblin In 1963, well into her career, she travelled to London’s Royal College for a ward sister’s course and visited numerous hospitals. While in London, she visited the 750-bed Aldershey Children’s Hospital at Liverpool and gained important insights into child care. Subsequent to her return home, she sought to implement many of those best practices she observed while in England. Having spent the first 1...