BC History of Nursing Society wins Best Website Prize

May 28, 2018

The BC History of Nursing Society is the recipient of the 2017 Best Website award.

Each year, the BCHF offers a certificate and cash prize of $250 for the best website on a topic of British Columbia history. The award honours individual or group volunteer efforts in website writing and presentation.

The BC History of Nursing Society’s website, www.bcnursinghistory.ca, honours and respects the history of nursing in British Columbia and beyond. The judges found the website to be informative and complete with blog, links to resources and photographs. The website was accessible on devices and modern in design, working to present nursing history in an interesting and engaging way. Anita Petersen and Lenore Radom were instrumental in realizing the project.

The prize was awarded on Saturday, May 26, 2018 at the book awards gala event in Nakusp as part of the BCHF annual conference. Lenore and Anita were unable to attend the awards evening, and will be presented with the award at a later date.

The Best Website Award recognizes individual or group volunteer efforts in website writing and presentation on a topic pertaining to British Columbia’s history. The Best Website Award is kindly endowed by Ken Mattison.

The British Columbia Historical Federation (BCHF) encourages interest in the history of British Columbia through research, presentation, and support in its role as an umbrella organization for provincial historical societies. Established in 1922, the Federation currently provides a collective voice for over 100 member societies and 24,000 individuals in the provincial not-for-profit historical sector.

BCHF Annual conference

Covered bridge over the River Kuskanax at Nakusp Hot Springs

History.Springs.Eternal 

BCHF Annual Conference, 

May 24 to May 26, 2018 – Nakusp, B.C.

 Nan Martin was delighted to represent our society at yet another very successful conference in beautiful Nakusp. Many activities and events included fascinating local and historical information from keynote speakers, bus tours, and a lovely BC Book Prize Gala. At the Gala, one of our Honorary members, Naomi Miller, received recognition for her outstanding work throughout the years with BCHF.

Parade of Past & Present nursing uniforms

 

On May 12, 2018  the Vancouver Island University hosted & co-sponsored the Fashion Show Parade of past and present nursing costumes and uniforms called  “Dressing Up History: nurses uniforms and professional identity”

The BCHNS received the invitation through long time member Sheila Zerr from  Cheryl Warsh, Professor of the Department of History at the VIU.  Sheila has created a collection of uniforms & costumes represented through the ages which she has used  to teach “history of nursing”.  The event was moderated by long time member Glennis Zilm.  Models were students & faculty of VIU and members of the BCHNS.

Photo Credits: Michelle Eng, Cheryl Entwistle,Kathy Murphy, Stephanie Buckingham, and Sue Forshaw.

 

 

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Successful Symposium

Displays by Cheryl Entwistle & Nan Martin Photo Credit for large Featured image: Cheryl Entwistle
Photo Credit: Kathy Murphy

The theme for the 5th Nursing History Symposium,  “In Search of Nursing’s History” , was held March 8, 2018 in the UBC Woodward Library. Speakers from the Library described the history of the collections, preserving nursing and health history in a time of digitalization and open collections, archival records, archiving networks of support, and records and collections on Nursing History in the UBC Archives. Helen Vandenberg, a former winner of a BC History of Nursing Scholarship, joined the gathering from Saskatchewan using current technology and presented a paper on digital collections from a user perspective.

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Dedication of the military nurses plaque at the Regina Legislature

For Remembrance Day 2017, the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Parks Canada honoured Canada’s Military Nurses with a special plaque.  Impetus to honour all nurses who served with Canadian Forces from 1885 to the present began in 2010, when BCHNS member Hallie Sloan suggested we approach the federal government to ensure recognition of military nurses who had served in all wars.  As this was to be a national recognition, BCHNS approached the Canadian Association for the History of Nursing (CAHN) to make the submission, with support from BCHNS, CNA, and other agencies.

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