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Our People of the Century
Ida Squarewood: A City's Nurse Extraordinaire    

Ida D. Squarewood, R.N., earned the unofficial title of “First Lady of Bridgeton Hospital” during her 40-year career there.

Joining the staff as a nurse in 1910, she was named superintendent two years later.

Squarewood expected her nurses to be highly disciplined and taught them to have self-confidence and compassion for others.

During the Depression, those who could not pay were still admitted to the hospital under her tenure.

In addition to supervising patient care and training nurses, Squarewood managed the hospital’s financial affairs until a business manager was hired in 1947.

She is said to have performed the duties of several administrators by today’s standards.

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164 W. Broad St., Bridgeton, NJ 08302
Phone: (856) 453-2125