Nursing in Ireland in the 1960's

phil retrospect

Anyone have any idea about nursing in the 1960's in Ireland?
Particularly wanted to know were nurses lay people or were they nuns?
Were nurses trained on the job or were there courses?
What were conditions like on the ward?


thanks in advance for anyone who can shed some light on this

Delancey

My mum trained in the late 50's if thats any help ?

She had to pay for her training - thats why so many Irish girls went to UK to nurse because they got paid there.
Discipline was harsh - matron could sack you if your face didn't fit - no recourse whatsoever.
Treated poorly - my Mum still speaks of the time she did 33 nights in a row without a day off.
Bullying ( while by no means absent in nursing today ) was rampant then.

phil retrospect

Thanks for the reply Delancey. God your poor mum, that sounds awful.

JuliusCaesar

Some interesting stuff here and here turned up on a quick google.

phil retrospect

Many thanks JuliusCaesar, appreciate it.

Graham

pauleenlavery wrote: »

By the time the NHS was entering its second decade, nurses were starting to feel more confident within the brave new world of healthcare and beginning to develop greater independence.

It's generally polite to attribute an article when ripping it off entirely.

http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-in-the-1960s-the-ward-sisters-were-pretty-fierce/577485.article

cailleach an airgid

I would definitely look into some of Professor Gerard Feahy's work on the history of nursing in Ireland.

http://www.ucd.ie/nmhs/staffstructure/academicstaff/gerardfealy/

His publications are listed on one of the tabs on that page - he is a highly regarded researcher in the area of history of nursing.