"The white coat is a symbol of the trust that patients put in us that, that, you know, when you walk into somebody's room in a white coat, they trust you to keep their information confidential, to be able to do a physical exam, to do all kinds of things. And so we want students to understand that they are entering a trusted profession" - College of Nursing Dean Dr. Sarah E. Shannon
In 2020, for the 19th straight year, Nursing was ranked as the most honest and ethic profession in the United States. According to the 2020 Gallup Poll, people value nurses even more than they did before the COVID 19 pandemic. The quote above from the Dean of Montana State University's College of Nursing highlights how much students and staff take that responsibility to heart.
During World War II, nurses were desperately needed for the war efforts. When most of the nurses who worked in hospitals or in the community left the United States to serve overseas caring for soldiers during the war, hospitals at home became short staffed. The United States government created the Cadet Nurse Corps to encourage college students to become nurses and to staff the hospitals. Empowered by the new opportunity to work and help their country, thousands of women stepped up to fill this need. Even though women enlisted, left their homes, and took jobs that supported the war effort this program was not officially recognized as a military program. Today, these women have still not been recognized by the Federal Government for service to their country.
Nursing at Montana State College
In 1911, Bozeman Deaconess Hospital opened the Bozeman Deaconess training program for new nurses. Over time, Montana State College worked with the training program to develop classes and house nursing students. The program grew, and in 1938 Montana State College took over the training program. In 1943, Montana State College was approved to join the US Government’s Nursing Cadet Corps program. This was an fast track program that prepared women to be nurses. After World War II, the Montana State Nursing program expanded into hospitals all over the state in places like Bozeman, Billings, and Great Falls.
The Nursing Cadet Corps Program
When the United States entered World War II, nurses working in hospitals left to serve in the war overseas. This created a national shortage of medical professionals in the country. To help staff hospitals the United States government decided to create the Cadet Nurse Corps. This Corps allowed nursing students at certain colleges to fast track their college education. After graduating in a shorter amount of time, they would pledge service to the Corps and work in hospitals all over the country where they would continue to receive nursing training. In exchange for their service, nurses received a scholarship for tuition and books, a stipend, and a uniform.
I will keep my body strong, my mind alert, and my heart steadfast; I will be kind, tolerant, and understanding. Above all, I will dedicate myself now and forever to the triumph of life over death. As a Cadet Nurse, I pledge to my country my service in essential nursing for the duration of the war - The official Oath taken by each Cadet nurse
At Montana State College, the Cadet Nursing Corps program training lasted 3 years. The training would be a combination of coursework and in hospital clinicals. When a nurse completed her degree at MSC, she received a hospital assignment. In 1945, 165 students were a part of the Nursing Program at Montana State College.
History of the Cadet Corps Uniform
In 1943 The National Nursing Council for War gathered a group of people for a luncheon to select the uniform for the Cadet Nurse Corps. Important military officials wanted nurses in the Corps to feel like they were a part of the military with their uniform. The everyday uniform worn by nurses in their clinicals and during their hospital work would be chosen by the school the nurse graduated from. The outer uniform, or the official Cadet Nurse Corps uniform, pictured below with a wool coat and rain coat was provided by the government. This ensured uniformity across the country for every single Cadet.
Even though every Cadet was promised a uniform when they joined the Corps, Uniform production had some majors problems. Because the Cadet Nurse Corps was not considered an official military program, there was not money available to buy the nurses uniforms. Schools received one or two uniforms for photos and press releases, but did not have enough to outfit all of their students. Nurses were also required to provide their own blouses and shoes to go with the uniforms. This was a problem as there was a ration on shoes during the war.
The uniform and cap pictured above are the everyday uniform selected by Montana State College for Nurse Cadets. It is also the same uniform worn by every nursing student at Montana State College.
Recruiting Nursing Cadets in Montana
Montana State college sent pamphlets like the one above to high school students all over the state to educate them about college programs and opportunities. The 1945 Summer Quarter pamphlet included information about the Cadet Nurse Corps program. It emphasized the need for 120 nurses, as well as the benefits associated with join the program.
At the time, nursing was one of the only opportunities for women who wanted to go to college and pursue a professional career. Because the Government covered the program fees and room and board for cadets, there was a large incentive to join. Even if the war ended, the women were guaranteed to become nurses and to have a career.
Below is a more specific pamphlet that describes the application process for becoming a cadet at Montana State College.
Life as a Student Cadet
Eleanor Todd Kinyon, at the time Eleanor Todd as she was not yet married, applied to be a Cadet in 1945. Below is her application from Montana State College. She applied to do her clinical studies at Billings Deaconess Hospital.
As a part of her course, Eleanor Todd carried around her Record of Nursing Experience which is shown below. When she completed tasks during her clinicals, her supervisors and professors would sign them off.
Post War Era and the Nursing Cadet Corps
It its 5 years of existence, the Cadet Nurse Corps graduated over 124,000 nurses nation wide. Despite this many women being a part of the program, the United States Government never recognized the Corps as an official military program. This means thousands of nurses who served their country during World War II are not granted veteran status. They are the only group uniformed group who served during World War II to not be recognized.
There have been multiple attempts to give legal recognition to the nurses who served in the Corps by the American Nurses Association and 53 other groups. The most recent attempt was bill H.R.3746 which was introduced to the House of Representative in 2019. While the bill passed the House, there is still no movement on the bill in the Senate. As the women who served as Cadets are getting older, this formal recognition would allow them to be buried at veterans cemeteries or to receive official medals from the US government.
Overall, the Cadet Nurse Corps provided thousands of women the opportunity to go to school and become nurses. These women might not be recognized by the federal government, but their legacy remains. At Montana State College, the Cadet Nurse Corps provided enrollment and funding that allowed the nursing program to expand. Today, the College of Nursing at Montana State University has over 1000 students with 5 campuses in the state.
References:
Mag-News. “Gallup Poll Finds Nursing Is Most Honest, Ethical Profession -2021 - Nursing - News - OU Magazine - Oakland University.” Page. Accessed April 25, 2021. https://oakland.edu/oumagazine/news/nursing/2021/gallup-poll-finds-nursing-is-most-honest-ethical-profession.
Robinson, Thelma M, and Paulie M Perry. Cadet Nurse Stories: The Call for and Response of Women during World War II. Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Center Nursing Press, 2001.
WSNA. “The Push to Recognize the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps as Veterans.” Accessed April 25, 2021. https://www.wsna.org/news/2019/the-push-to-recognize-the-u-s-cadet-nurse-corps-as-veterans.
The following institutions contributed to the research of this project:
Museum of the Rockies, Montana State University Special Collections, Montana State University College of Nursing