UCC SONM 25 Year Book

UCC / School of Nursing and Midwifery

In 1975 the Golden Jubilee of the founding of St. Finbarr’s School of Nursing was celebrated with a reunion, attended by Sr. Cecilia its founder and first Tutor. Guests reminisced about times past and text from Memories (Southern Health Board 1971-2004) tells of earlier years “when the School opened in 1925 probationers were not paid for their first 6 months, they got 1-pound salary a month after that and 3 pounds a month in their 3rd year of training. Many of the wards had no heat, no light, and most of the work was done by those living in the hospital.” In 1978, three and a half years after the 50 th Anniversary of the opening of a School of Nursing at St. Finbarr’s Hospital the School was transferred to the newly built Cork Regional Hospital (now Cork University Hospital). The Sisters of Mercy continued to have responsibility for the School of Nursing until 1991 when Sr. Killian Searson retired from her post as Principal Nurse Tutor. The School at CUH took its last intake of student nurses to what subsequently was referred to as the traditional Programme in 1997 thus bringing to a conclusion in 2000 the 75-year history of nurse training at CUH and St. Finbarr’s Hospitals. The latter continues as a facility for older adults and rehabilitation services where students still gain considerable clinical nursing experience.

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