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.

By Ethel Warbinek

2015 Conference: CFP Society for the History of Children and Youth Eighth Biennial Conference 

ORGANIZED BY MONA GLEASON, Click on link below for more information

 http://shcyhome.org/conference/

Early registration until March 31.

Mark your calendars:  SUNDAY APRIL 19: 1PM – 3PM, for the History of Nursing in Canada Presentation & Fashion Show.

Sponsored by BC History of Nursing Society, the event will take place as one of the Museums “Border Town Health Care” Historical Presentations.

For more information click on the link below.

http://www.whiterock.museum.bc.ca/whatshappening/currentevents.html

We have just been given the good news from the Minister’s Office of Parks Canada that the unveiling event  of the plaque in memory of Ethel Johns has been scheduled for Tuesday February 10, 2015 at 10AM, UBC.

The event will be held at Cecil Green Park House, UBC

It is with deep sadness that we share news of the passing of Verna Huffman-Splane, one of Canada’s most noted nursing leaders and an honorary life member of  BCHNS. Verna died early Saturday, January 10, just weeks after her 100^th birthday.

Verna was an icon of nursing and a mentor to hundreds of nurses all over the world. After a career in public health, including short stints with the World Health Organization, she joined Health and Welfare Canada, becoming Canada’s first federal principal nursing officer in 1968 until 1981; she was the first nurse to be a key advisor to the deputy minister of health. During this time, she married Dr. Richard Splane, a social worker by profession who had served with National Health and Welfare in Ottawa from the 1950s to the early 1970s, becoming widely known as a chief architect of public social policies, such as the Canadian Social Assistance Plan. Their strong interests in international health and social welfare led to work with a number of non-governmental agencies, including UNICEF and the International Red Cross.

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Please Plan to visit the White Rock Museum between  January 17 – May 31, 2015  PRESENTING:  “Critical Care:  A History of Hospitals in a border town”   Click on the link to view the poster

http://static.ow.ly/docs/Critical%20Care%20Poster_2Pb3.pdf

On the Rick Mercer Rant he salutes Nurses…Thanks Rick!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qVdKlckSLQ

Sally Thorne has written a moving tribute to Verna Splane telling us about the accomplishments of this remarkable Canadian nurse who celebrates her 100th birthday on November 23rd, 2014.

Be sure to visit http://www.nursing.ubc.ca/News/NewsItem.aspx?id=371

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”

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

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.