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This section draws mainly from research undertaken by Harry Reynolds on behalf of the hospital
Dr.
W. M. Thackery, 1798 to 1827, founded the Chester Infirmary library
Dr.W.M.Thackery is another name worthy of mention. cousin of the novelist,
he was greatly interested in medical education and it was through his generosity
that the Infirmary Library was founded.
Dr.Edward Waters.
Dr.Edward Waters, who died in 1890 is another example of the medical
pioneers of the time. Beesides holding advanced idea’s on the training
of nurses he did much to improve the status of his own profession.
In 1887 an illuminated testimonial was given to him by the Lancashire
and Cheshire branch of the British Medical Association in gratitude for
his devoted work in the interest of the medical proffèssion.
The days when nurse’s were merely regarded as servants have long since gone, today nursing is recognised in its own right as a professional career, which requires a long period of training in order to obtain qualifications which are internationally recognised.
The first mention of training for nurse’s appears in the 1867 records of the Infirmary, and again in 1873 when the Board discussed the training of nurse’s, and at this time laid down a number of conditions about age and salaries of nurse ‘s.
1919 saw a major development whan the Nurse’s Registration Act and the formation of the General Nurses Council. This was to supervise the State Examinations and Registration of Nurse’s which becarne compulsory in 1924. And in 1922 Chester Royal Infirmary was officially approved by the General Nursing Council as a training school for nurse’s.
Progress in both medical and surgical fields meant that there was much
for the trainee nurse to learn, and training alternated between practical
work on the wards and. time in the school of nursing. The young nurse had
to acquire experience in nursing both men and women in surgical and medical
wards, obstetrics or gynaecology and sick children.
There was also experience to be gained in some special departments
such as the operating theatre, casualty, out—patients, geriatric
assessment unit, orthopaedic nursing, ophthalmology, ear, nose and
throat diseases or psychiatry, and to learn about the importance
of dietetics in the treatment of sick people.
By the 1920’s the Infirmary Board of Management had appointed a well
qualified sister tutor to bring nurse’s up to the standard required for
the state examinations, and a system of training was’ evolved in cooperation
with other hospitals in the area.
School
of Nursing and Midwifery
Further improvements in the training programme and residential and recreational
facilities provided for the nurse’s were made in the early 1950’s. The
establishment of pretraining school accepting seventeen year olds was another
of the improvements made.
The course for the State Registered nurse’s Certificate started with
three months practical training on each of the wards. Each year during
training nurses spent six weeks back in school in order
to prepare for the hospital and state examinations.
The rigid discipline of the past was replaced by a far better understanding of the need for leisure and recreation, more thought was given to the comfort of the nurses and their accommodation, the nurses home was remodernised in 1955 with the installation of central heating, comfortable bedrooms, television and attractive accommodation for entertaining visitors.
Student nurses of the 1950s would normally work an average of 84 hours
per fortnight. Leave was four weeks annual leave during the first and
second years of training, increasing to five weeks during the third year,
these holidays were taken on fixed dates in order to fit into the hospital
training schedule.
Each nurse was expected to complete a trial period of eight weeks.
During this period their services could be terminated if they were
considered to be unsuitable in any respect, or the nurse finding that hospital
life did not suit her could leawe at her own request.
Multi-disciplinary Education and Training Centre - coming soon