Article Database - The Search for Nursing Records and Artifacts

Nursing in Canada has been referred to as the "hen’s teeth" of medical history because nurses and health care workers have left behind little evidence of their practice. With so little source material to work with, the identification of historical resources is very important. The Alberta Association of Registered Nurses (AARN) is the professional/registering body for approximately 23,000 nurses. Work on its museum and archives was started in 1978 by a group of volunteer retired nurses. With 10 schools of nursing in Alberta closing in the 1970s, they were concerned that the records of these schools would disappear unless a concerted effort to save them was undertaken. A grant for senior citizens allowed them to systematically collect caps, pins, yearbooks, diplomas and other memorabilia, resulting in a substantial collection of materials that was presented to the AARN in 1981. A staff member then assumed responsibility for the collection and, during the next 10 years, the mandate was broadened to include records of the Association itself, photos and memorabilia of past presidents and honorary members and other items such as books.

When a professional archivist began working with the nursing association in 1991, records and artifacts were squirreled away in various closets around the building. A vault contained original minute books and registration records from 1916, position statements, briefs to government, newsletters and other materials. The process of cataloguing the records identified existing materials and what areas needed to be expanded. Filling these gaps with source material to build a collection that allows for displays, exhibits and academic research has been a challenge requiring teamwork and detective work. While some of the strategies undertaken by the nursing community in an attempt to recover its own history have been more successful than others, there is now an established base to build on.

For instance, a small collection of portraits of recent past presidents and honorary members existed. But the search for information about, and photographs of, early leaders (1916-30s) involved going through association board minutes and newsletters, then on to the appropriate hospital history (if such a thing existed), or school of nursing yearbook. Most of these individuals were supervisors, hospital matrons and educators; many were single women, making it difficult to trace them through their families and difficult to get biographical data. Fortunately, it proved easier to find people who remember individuals from the 1930s to the present and to track down real portraits and biographical information. This past year, two volunteers used the material collected over the last seven years to write short biographies for each photo. An Alberta Historical Resources Foundation grant allowed us to mount a display of provincial nursing leaders at the AARN Museum and Archives.

A second incomplete collection was that of the hospital schools of nursing. Initial work done by the committee of retired nurses, who set up the archives, focused on schools that were closing. It was decided to include all hospital schools in the follow-up on work previously done. Hospitals were contacted to locate alumni who might be able to provide assistance. As well, missing items were identified and publicized in the provincial newsletter, which resulted in many interesting materials being donated, including biographical information about each hospital school of nursing.

Another area associated with early nursing in the province was public health. A variety of sources have been investigated for Public Health Nursing–District Nursing artifacts and records. These include Department of Health records, published histories by Kate Colley, Director of Public Health Nursing for many years, and Irene Stewart, a member of the District Nursing Service. A group of local practitioners donated original photo albums created by the District Nursing Service from 1920-73, providing an incredibly rich resource for researchers. Individuals have provided instruments, uniforms, textbooks, day books, a Stanley bag, birth certificates and other forms carried by early Public Health nurses.

Collection development depends on liaising with the nursing community. In an attempt to ferret out records and artifacts it is essential to make use of the networks existing from training school to practice areas. The military nurses are an example of tapping into existing networks; the members of this group vary in age from the late 70s to 90s. Miss Jesse Morrison, a retired nurse who was a member of the Nursing Sisters Association of Canada (Military Nurses) and a member of the original history committee that started the AARN museum, was asked if she could assist in increasing the collection in this area. She came forward with two pages of contacts: names, addresses, phone numbers and the specific records that each one might possibly be willing to donate. She followed this up with phone calls to all of the contacts to let them know that they might be contacted. We then followed up with letters. Because of her connection to that community of nurses, we have an amazing 100 percent positive response and were able to increase this area of the collection tremendously. Funding through donations and bequests from this group will now allow us to develop a permanent exhibition in our facility to honour their work on behalf of all Canadians.

Based on the gaps identified during the initial cataloguing and collection stage, it was clear that the documentary and artifactual evidence we were in the process of collecting would need to be augmented by oral histories. At the same time, many nurses were urging that the archives seek out these stories. As a result, a provincial oral history project was designed and conducted over two and one-half years. Rather than going out and randomly interviewing "old" nurses, we tried to be more systematic in our approach, to have the best possible outcome with as much useful research information as possible. The interviews were organized thematically: for example, education, legislation, labour, military and areas of practice. The stories of people who, by virtue of age, have had different experiences in other eras were also captured. These stories were often suggested locally by our interviewers. A call was made for volunteers: nurses would interview nurses. The response varied in different areas of the province but, after two years, a core research resource of approximately 200 interviews was available, and they are being added to continually. This project has been particularly gratifying, not only because of the awareness it created within the profession of the importance of documenting the nursing experience, but also because of the participation of university students, staff nurses, educators, nurse managers and retired nurses.

To date, nursing archives, where they exist, are generally richer in administrative records than clinical practice records. Documentation of nursing activities and processes in use in patient care situations is very scarce for anyone wishing to establish a more complete understanding of a particular area of practice and its evolution. This information is especially valuable when practices undergo change, whether subtle or radical in nature. Technological advances in the last 25 years have resulted in much of the change we are witnessing today, but changes in societal values and norms are also factors. And, of course, politically motivated activities have a real impact on health care policies and practices.

Our aim at the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses Museum and Archives is to preserve resources that provide evidence for historical researchers to construct a convincing story about nurses’ past work experience, their life, and their care. Through fairly standard strategies, a body of material has been developed for use by researchers which is already resulting in enhancing the visibility of the nursing profession in Alberta, and articulating the contribution of nurses to the health care system and to the community at large.

Lorraine Mychajlunow, BA MLIS, is archivist for the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses. This article was first given as the keynote address at the History Society Conference, Royal College of Nursing, Australia, in Rockhampton, Queensland, on August 8, 1998.

Editor’s Note: To assist it in accomplishing the mandate of its museum, the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses has received over $26,000 from the Museums Alberta Special Projects Grants Program. Since 1991, grants were awarded in the following categories: Exhibitions ($19,014); Training ($1,218); Bookshelf ($487); Collections Management ($5,605).