The Education Celebration with Dr. Lynn Stevenson is the first event recognizing the work of the RNFBC and the TFE in providing funding for education. This event acknowledges the generous donors, as well as five of the RNFBC 2014 Bursary Recipients, and is a unique opportunity for all the guests to mingle, enjoy exquisite light refreshments and sweets, and listen to a fantastic speaker. Dr. Lynn Stevenson has a passion for nursing and education, so it is fitting that she is our guest speaker for this inaugural event. Seating is limited so why not buy your ticket today and join us on October 1st for this celebration of education!
Cost is $50 & Deadline for Registration is September 21, 2015
May 13, 2015 the Vancouver Community Nurses held their annual Nurses Week Event at the Vancouver VanDuesen Gardens to which the BCHNS were invited to have a display table.
Cheryl Entwistle wore the 1905 “Walking out” costume when the early RJH Nurse did community work.
Kathleen Murphy dressed the mannequin with our Florence Nightingale costume
Cheryl “was truly impressed with this group as they really are doing remarkable things in the community …. Things that really make a difference to the delivery of care!”
We are delighted to share the news that our long-time member, Dr. Geertje Boschma, has attained full Professorship in the UBC School of Nursing.
Geertje was honoured by her colleagues in a Special Lecture Series in the Faculty of Applied Science on April 21, 2015. A Celebration of Promotion was held to recognize five exceptional people for their promotion to the position of Professor in their chosen field.
Each newly created Professor presented a Paper about themselves and their research.
Geertje’s excellent Paper was entitled: Nursing and Health: Why History Matters.
The White Rock Museum Fashion Show on April 20th was an overwhelming success!
Thanks to all the models who did an amazing act portraying the nurses uniforms through the ages and to Glennis Zilm who was the moderator of the show. Also a big thank you to Sheila Zerr who supplied the costumes and helped with the organizing, working with Amanda Sittrop, Curator of White Rock Museum Exhibits.
The BC Memorial Book, initiated in the early 1990’s by RNABC, is now available for viewing on-line. The book tells the stories of “courageous nursing pioneers who made significant contributions to nursing in British Columbia, to the nursing profession, and to the health of people and communities.”
The Memorial Book has now been moved from CRNBC to ARNBC who arranged to have it digitized. It may now be viewed online by clicking http://www.arnbc.ca/ebook/
Margaret Brooke, who just turned 100 years old and lives in Victoria, BC, was a nursing sister in the Royal Canadian Navy in 1942, and was on board the SS Caribou when it was hit by a German torpedo and sank off the coast of Newfoundland.
Click on the links below to read the story of her heroism and see her photos.
Helen Saunders, who many will remember as an Instructor in the OR, died at age 97 in Victoria BC. She wished to stay in her home as long as possible, and this was achieved. I recall climbing up the circular stair case to the OR in the evening to practice draping and other OR procedures in order to be prepared for the next morning. One did not want Helen’s disapproval at not being ready. As one VGH graduate said-“I was scared stiff. She was stern and serious.” My excellent skill in aseptic technique lasted throughout my entire career, thanks to Helen. In later years, she was rather puzzled by the image she created.
Helen was born in New Zealand and the family traveled internationally before settling in Victoria. She graduated from VGH in 1939 and from UBC School of Nursing with a BASc(N), in 1940. Following graduation she worked in the slums in Chicago before joining the Army as a nursing sister in 1944. Following the War she took the new Post Graduate Course in OR Nursing at VGH and then the Teaching and Supervision course at UBC. She was hired by VGH and taught in the School for 11 years before resigning to obtain a Masters degree in Nursing Education at the University of Washington. Helen moved back to Victoria where she worked at the Royal Jubilee hospital as an In-service Education Supervisor. She retired in 1975 to care for her parents. While in retirement Helen devoted herself to trying to improve available health care and was an integral contributor to the completion of the new Patient Tower at Royal Jubilee Hospital. She was a caring aunt and was fortunate in having many dear friends and neighbours who watched out for her. It was said she would love nothing more than for all of us to reminisce with fond memories over a cup of Earl Grey.
Sources: Victoria Times Colonist, Dec 7 2014, Amazing Alumni Stories, UBC School of Nursing website.
Trinity Western University School of Nursing is hosting a networking café for nurses to get together in a collegial environment to discuss topics of interest.
Photo Credit: TWU poster
The April speaker is Susan Martens Kehler who has an inspiring history to share about her years at the Mennonite Christian Hospital Nursing School Taiwan (1957-1980). Dr. Sonya Grypma will offer a commentary on the relevance of nursing history to the nursing profession of today.
For further information, directions and parking information RSVP to [email protected], by April 3, 2015 or call 604-888-7511, local 3239.
