Nov.16,2014 “Nursing on the Battlefield” presentation by Glennis Zilm

I was very pleased to represent the Canadian Association for Nursing History and to attend the presentation of Glennis Zilm on Sunday, November 16th at the Royal BC Museum Neucomb Auditorium.

Glennis’s presentation: Nursing on the Battlefields: Canada’s Military Nurses: 1885-1945 struck a timely cord to the standing room only crowd. Following the presentation Glennis fielded a half hour discussion that included some very poignent stories about relatives and friends who had been nurses in the war and a number of new connections were made and addresses and information exchanged. Glennis’s expertise in this area of historical inquiry skillfully guided the discussion which ended only because she had to get the ferry! What a pleasure!

Margaret Scaia”

 

June 3, 2014 Royal Columbian Hospital Alumnae celebration

Jessie Middleton was honoured at the RCH Nursing Alumnae mtg on June 3rd. It’s 75 years since she graduated from RCH.

Photo Credit: Jackie Ratzlaff, Photo: Jessie Middleton & Jackie Ratzlaff

Thank you to Jackie Ratzlaff for sharing this information, she tells us that her relationship with Jessie goes back a long way in that Jessie’s husband, Fred, was the school principal in Salmo where Jackie grew up.  Jessie was known as the go-to nurse in that small community, she delivered a couple of babies also.

Post Woodward Lecture Nov.6/14

The 46th Marion Woodward Lecture was held on Nov. 6/14 with Dr. Bonnie Stevens from the University of Toronto speaking on Nursing’s Role in Changing Care Practices and Outcomes in the Context of Health Care System Transformation.

The lecture was attended by several members of the BC History of Nursing Society. Display tables included a collection of books authored by UBC School of Nursing Professors which Glennis Zilm hosted and the BC History of Nursing Society display hosted by Kathy Murphy

Upcoming Presentation: Nursing on the Battlefield 1885-1945

DATE  Sunday, November 16

This illustrated presentation by Glennis Zilm will give an overview of Canada’s war time Nursing Sisters, from the first paid nurses to be hired by the Canadian militia in 1885 through the Boer War, World War I and World War II.  The main focuses will be on nurses from BC, especially from the Victoria area, and on how nurses have served on the battlefields.

Glennis is an Honorary Professor in the University of British Columbia School of Nursing.  She is a retired nurse, writer and editor, and was a founding member of both the B.C. History of Nursing Society and the Canadian Association for the History of Nursing.

  • Newcombe Auditorium, Royal BC Museum
  • 675 Belleville Street
  • Victoria, BC
  • 2 – 3:30 pm
  • $5 general public

Free for members of the Friends of the BC Archives

For more information about this event please contact Patricia Dirks, President of the Friends of the BC Archives, 250-383-2006

PLAN AHEAD

SAVE SUNDAY OCTOBER 26TH AT 1:30 pm

Member Shirley Riddells is organizing an event to be held at Victory Square to recognize Women in the War, specifically Nursing Sisters. Check back here or on our Facebook page for more information as it becomes available.

Special display honoring Ethel Johns, “Person of National Historic Significance.”

A special display in the Foyer of the Woodward Medical Library at the University of BC features the collection of Ethel Johns’ Medals. Johns, who was the first director of the UBC School of Nursing, gave her medals and awards to the Library late in her life.

Photo credit:; UBC photo archives

They include a King Edward Silver Jubilee Medal and a Mary Agnes Snively Medal (the latter from the Canadian Nurses Association).

Ethel Johns has been honored by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Parks Canada, as a “Person of National Historic Significance” and the displays were set up because a plaque recognizing this honor is to be presented by the Canadian government to UBC this fall. The bronze plaque will be mounted in the patient park near the Koerner Acute Care Hospital Pavilion, which now houses the UBC School of Nursing.

CONGRATULATIONS!

The VGH School of Nursing Alumnae Association Newsletter, edited and designed by Ethel Warbinek and Mary Watt, received a recognition award at the recent 2014 BC Historical Federation Conference.

Photo credit: Ron Welwood, BCHF

Ethel chairs the alumnae association’s Publicity Committee and along with co-author Mary Watt, produce the impressive Newsletter complete with class news, association activities, and articles of interest to VGH graduates.

The award was presented by Gary Mitchel, newly elected President of the BC Historical Federation.

BCHNS Summer Meeting June 26, 2014

BCHNS Summer Meeting was hosted by Glennis Zilm and attended by 16 with Michelle Eng coming from as far away as Tofino for the the day event! We welcome our newest member Bruce Holvick!  Thank you to all who attended.

This successful meeting’s minutes will be available soon to members.