Caps, Capes and Caring – The Legacy of Diploma Nursing Schools in Toledo

Caps, Capes and Caring
266 Pages
ISBN 978-0-692-10207-7

Between 1893 and 1999 there were eight hospital-based diploma schools of nursing in Toledo: Flower Hospital School of Nursing, Maumee Valley Hospital School of Nursing, Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, Riverside Hospital School of Nursing, Robinwood/St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing, St. Vincent Hospital School of Nursing, Toledo Hospital School of Nursing, and Toledo State Hospital School of Nursing.

This core group of schools, operating for just over 100 years, sent registered nursing into our community to care for our sick and teach us how to stay healthy. Graduates from these schools are still among us and continue to provide care and comfort. This book highlights almost 100 interviews with graduates and archival treasures in both pictures and narratives to tell the story of being a student nurse. Readers will gain an appreciation of Toledo’s diploma nursing schools and experience the thrill of helping and healing, of living this life, and of learning.

Patricia Ringos Beach

About Patricia Ringos Beach (Toledo, Ohio Author)

Patricia Ringos Beach

Patricia Ringos Beach, a Clinical Nurse Specialist and Patient Navigator for the Mercy Health Cancer Program holds advanced certification in oncology and palliative care nursing. She received a diploma in nursing from St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing in Youngstown, OH. Although Patti later went on to receive a BSN from Capital University in Columbus, OH and an MSN from Medical College of Ohio in Toledo, she considers her diploma nursing education as “when she became a nurse.” Insights discovered watching her daughter attend a contemporary BSN program led Patti to work with her four co-authors to bring the memories and legacy of diploma school nursing to a wider audience.

Through her career, she has worked in intensive care and oncology patient care settings and as an instructor at Toledo Hospital School of Nursing where she met her co-authors. In both her nursing and writing she hopes to help others and allow them to be heard. She is particularly proud of being part of the team to erect the BEFORE I DIE…board in the Toledo warehouse district and of writing with Beth White the American Journal of Nursing award-winning In the Shadows: Helping your Seriously Ill Adult Child.

She and her husband Dan live in Toledo where they loved raising their two daughters. Her interests include enjoying family and friends, hiking, biking, and scrapbooking.

Susan J. Eisel, MSEd, BSN, RN

About Susan J. Eisel, MSEd, BSN, RN (Co-Author)

Susan J. Eisel, MSEd, BSN, RN

A lifelong resident of Toledo, Ohio, Sue Eisel was a member of the last graduating class of Flower Hospital School of Nursing, Toledo in 1977. Upon graduation she worked in the Emergency Department at Flower Hospital, then went on to teach in another diploma nursing program, Toledo Hospital School of Nursing. Education became a real love of and she went on to positions in staff development, then becoming the first Director of Nursing Education at St. Luke’s Hospital, Maumee, Ohio. Wanting to pursue other interests, she obtained her Ohio Nursing Home Administrator’s license and managed the skilled nursing unit within St. Luke’s Hospital. She has returned to the nursing education arena, becoming full time faculty at Mercy College of Ohio. Teaching students on a variety of units and several local hospitals is a source of professional satisfaction.

Maria E. Nowicki, PhD, RN

About Maria E. Nowicki, PhD, RN (Co-Author)

Maria E. Nowicki, PhD, RN

Dr. Maria Nowicki is a lifelong resident of the Toledo area. She is a graduate of Notre Dame Academy and Mercy Hospital School of Nursing. She received her Bachelor's degree in Nursing from the University of Toledo and her Master's in Nursing from Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan. She received her Master's in Science and Education and PhD in Health Education from the University of Toledo. Dr. Nowicki held positions in Nursing at Mercy Hospital, Parkview Hospital and The Toledo Hospital. She began her career in Nursing Education in 1978 and taught in diploma, associate and baccalaureate degree nursing programs. She served in faculty positions at the University of Toledo Community and Technical College, Mercy College of Detroit and dual faculty/administrative positions at Mercy School Of Nursing, The Toledo Hospital School of Nursing and Mercy College of Ohio. At the time of her retirement, she was the Dean of the Nursing program at Mercy College of Ohio.

Judy Harris Szor

About Judy Harris Szor (Co-Author)

Judy Harris Szor

Judy Harris Szor graduated from Toledo Hospital School of Nursing in 1966, subsequently earning a BSN from the University of Michigan, MEd from the University of Toledo and MSN from the Medical College of Ohio.

Her nursing career included staff, head nurse and clinical supervisor positions in acute care, diploma nursing school faculty for 17 years, special projects, and certified wound, ostomy, continence nurse specialist. As a certified clinical nurse specialist in adult health, she established a consulting business called Healing Wound and Ostomy Services, LLC providing services to a large territory surrounding Toledo in hospice, home care, long-term care, group homes and acute and subacute settings. She was also a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner, studied and still practices medical qi gong, and used those skills, among others, at the Hickman Cancer Center before fully retiring in 2015.

In retirement she enjoys traveling, gardening, yoga, playing piano, ballroom dancing, special projects and time with family and friends. This is her first published book as a co-author of "Caps, Capes, and Caring: The Legacy of Diploma Nursing Schools in Toledo.

Beth E. Heinzeroth White

About Beth E. Heinzeroth White (Co-Author)

Beth E. Heinzeroth White

Beth E. Heinzeroth White is a registered nurse and pediatric clinical nurse specialist. Her books focus on nursing as a profession and nursing care of parents and children. She has co-authored each of two books with colleagues from the Toledo, Ohio area.

Beth has over 40 years experience in nursing as a clinician, educator and quality improvement consultant; her writing reflects a deep understanding of nursing and the effect of health on patients of all ages and their families. She has two grown daughters and lives in Sylvania, Ohio.

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