Tiny Pineapple

ananas comosus (L.) minimus

Aerospace Nurse

by Virginia B. McDonnell, R.N. (1966)
Aerospace Nurse

“This is it,” whispered Terry Haines, her blue eyes dancing with excitement.

The double doors leading into University Hospital’s auditorium opened. The house lights dimmed. A graduate nurse signaled. It was time for the sixty girls clustered outside to light their lamps, their symbols of dedication to the ideals of Florence Nightingale. The long awaited capping ceremony was about to begin.

There was a last minute rustle of crisp white bibs and aprons, worn over blue uniforms. Pam Warren reached out to tuck back one stray lock of Terry’s shining russet hair. Other roommates gave each other similar checks. Every hairdo must be in perfect order, worn safely above the collar. Television nurses might wear flowing tresses; real nurses, never.

Calling Nurse Linda

by Patti Stone (1961)
Calling Nurse Linda

She Knew She Was Needed As a Woman As Well As a Nurse

Dr. Shelby Tailor drew admiring glances from every woman — nurses and patients alike. And that included Nurse Linda. But she knew he wasn’t willing to give up the bachelor status that made him so attractive to rich female patients. So Linda hid her heartache.

But when Shelby’s career was suddenly threatened, Linda found herself pressed by a pleading proposal of marriage. Had love blinded her to his real character? Was he truly sincere — or was he just planning to use her good position to make up for his errors in judgement?

(Part of a double novel, with “Dr. Kilbourne Comes Home” on the flip side.)

]]>

Big City Nurse

by Peggy Gaddis (1956)
Big City Nurse

Love and hatred confront a young nurse on her first private duty case. One would win out…

“What’s the matter?” he asked. “Is Anne making passes at your young man?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Nurse Linette Stokes stammered. “Besides, he’s not my young man.”

“But you like him, don’t you?” she was accused.

“Certainly I like him. He’s — he’s a fine young doctor,” she flushed.

But her heart was heavy and her thoughts kept returning to the picture of Anne’s lovely, laughing face lifted to Dr. Powell’s admiring eyes.

Ballad for Nurse Lark

by Colleen L. Reece (1979)
Ballad for Nurse Lark

Lark Tamany, R.N., faces the biggest challenge of her life when she becomes a private nurse to Timothy, a nine-year-old musical prodigy who bears emotional scars from the tragic auto accident that robbed him of his parents. Guilt feelings now prevent Timothy from playing the piano, and no one seems able to help him. Because Lark accepts the assignment quickly, she does not realize until it’s too late that Timothy is the brother of Revel Thorne, who jilted her at the altar several years ago — but who still claims to love her today. With much skill and warmth and understanding, Lark heals Timothy’s mental scars.

Will she ever be able to heal her own?

Anne Snow, Mountain Nurse

by Dorothy Deming, R.N. (1947)
Anne Snow, Mountain Nurse

Anne Snow wanted “emergencies” — so, with her best friend she accepts a position on a nursing staff, working in the mountains of Tennessee. It seems thrilling and romantic in prospect to travel between cases on a fine horse all your own, to “picnic” in the open almost every noon, with a glorious view rolling out at your feet and a murmuring stream to soothe you. But that horse may carry you into dangerous places — and out of them, too; rolling distances may be deceptive when you are hurrying to help save a life; and that gentle stream may turn into a raging torrent to bar your way! So Anne Snow mixes dismay with the delights of her mountain nursing and learns to meet life’s surprises sturdily and smilingly. She learns, too, that in the less-privileged areas of our great country is the greatest need for skilled nursing care and the deepest satisfaction in being able to supply that need well.