Historical Influences on Nursing in Canada

Historical Influences on Nursing in Canada

• Early Canada faced significant epidemics of infectious diseases.
• Indigenous peoples possessed valuable health knowledge and practices.
• Early healthcare relied on herbal remedies and the skills of midwives, nurses, and caregivers.

New France (Quebec)

• Early nurses included male attendants and Jesuit priests.
• Notable individuals like Mme Hébert provided care to settlers.
• Jeanne Mance founded the first hospital in Quebec.
• Marguerite d'Youville established the Sisters of Charity, introducing the first visiting nurses.
• Many nurses were motivated to educate Indigenous peoples.

Grey Nuns (Sisters of Charity of Montreal)

• The Grey Nuns earned respect for their dedicated work.
• They tended to the sick at home during epidemics.
• They expanded their missions across Western Canada, including Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories.

Florence Nightingale

• Recognized as a founder of modern nursing.
• Provided crucial care to wounded soldiers during the Crimean War.
• Significantly reduced mortality and morbidity rates through practical nursing care.
• Elevated the status of nursing as a profession.
• Was the first nurse statistician.

Globalization of Nursing

• Throughout history, nurses have crossed geographical and national borders.
• Examples include nurses in New France, West Africa, and missionary work in China.
• The World Health Organization and the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration have supported global nursing efforts.
• In Canada, nurses have been active in remote regions and beyond.

Gender and Diversity

• Initially, nursing was associated with single white women.
• Over time, there was a segregation of patients and nursing students.
• Recognizing the need for gender balance and social diversity became increasingly important.

Nursing Education

• The first financially independent nursing schools were founded by Florence Nightingale.
• Nursing schools expanded throughout Europe and North America.
• Early hospital schools of nursing sometimes lost crucial educational models.

Hospital Schools

• Nursing students often provided care in exchange for education and living arrangements.
• Financial benefit to hospitals was a common practice.
• Living conditions for students were sometimes poor.
• The quality of education at some of these schools was questioned.

Diploma Schools

• St. Catharines Training School (1874) was a pioneering diploma school.
• Admission standards usually included English education, good character, and Christian values.
• Students learned crucial subjects like chemistry, sanitary science, anatomy, and hygiene.
• Nurses were primarily expected to observe patients and accurately report to physicians.

Educational Reform

• Mary Agnes Snively, a superintendent at a Toronto hospital school, championed educational reform in nursing.
• She established proper living conditions for students.
• She developed curricula, and criteria for clinical and education time.

Impact of Nursing Organizations

• Nursing schools and nurses started to organize to improve quality and professional standards.
• Lady Ishbel Aberdeen established the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON).
• These organizations helped to improve educational standards.
• The Women's Rights movement influenced the increasing influence of nursing organizations.

International Council of Nurses

• The International Council of Nurses focused on nurses' welfare and the health of the general population.
• Nations needed a national nursing organization to become members.
• Mary Agnes Snively was the first treasurer of the organization.
• Canada joined the council in 1909.

Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) and Provincial/Territorial Nursing Associations

• Registration processes were developed across all provinces and territories.
• Work of the associations involved setting scope of practice, protecting the title of nurse, protecting the public against unqualified and incompetent practice, and development of a Code of ethics.

University Programs

• The need for professional nursing programs intensified due to World War I, the influenza epidemic of 1918, and other factors..
• Community health practices gained support and promotion during this era.
• Universities established nursing education programs.
• The University of British Columbia pioneered undergraduate programs in nursing.

Health Care and Educational Reform

• The Weir Report (1932) emphasized the need for improved nursing education.
• The report highlighted the need for better classroom instruction and providing a wider variety of clinical experiences.
• The 1965 Royal Commission on Health Services was instrumental in transitioning away from hospital-based nursing education.

Baccalaureate as Entry-to-Practice (BETP)

• A significant shift from hospital-based programs to two-year diploma programs occurred in the 1960s.
• The 1975 Alberta Task Force on Nursing Education advocated for the baccalaureate degree as the entry level for nursing practice.
• By 2010, all provinces except Quebec had endorsed the BETP.

The Great Depression to World War II

• The Great Depression caused unemployment and hardship for nurses.
• It negatively impacted financial stability for universities.
• World War II resulted in a shortage of nurses.
• Funding increased to manage shortages and address the need for nurses.

Expansion of 1950s and 1960s

• The number of nursing programs saw significant growth across Canada.
• The first Masters of Nursing program was established at the University of Western Ontario in 1959.

1970 to Present

• Nursing programs transitioned from a non-integrated model (dividing theory and clinical practice) to an integrated curriculum.
• The university took a larger role in running clinical instruction and the clinical experience,
• A doctoral program was established at the University of Alberta in 1991.

Nursing Education Today

• Curricula are continually evolving and developing.
• The National Nursing Education Framework offers a unified structure.
• Increased access to online education is beneficial.
• The Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) helps monitor and ensure the quality of programs.
• Quality and responsiveness to change are key priorities.

Summary

• The history and development of nursing in Canada is marked by epidemics, indigenous knowledge, contributions and evolution of education, and nursing organizations.
• Various historical events such as wars, depressions, and evolving social movements shaped nursing in Canada.
• Changes in the structure education are evident in the evolution of programs, focusing on both diploma and university programs.
• The efforts of nurses in organizing, alongside the impact of the International Council of Nurses, played significant roles in creating the profession.