UCC SONM 25 Year Book

UCC / School of Nursing and Midwifery

Bon Secours Hospital

Bon Secours Hospital The Sisters of Bon Secours were founded in Paris on 24 th January 1824 by Sister Josephine Potel. In 1861, the Bon Secours Nursing Sisters of Paris came to Ireland and established their first overseas foundation in Dublin. At this point in history, Ireland was still experiencing the long-term effects of the Famine. In 1867, the Bon Secours Sisters opened a Foundation in Cork. The people of Cork warmly welcomed the Sisters. The Sisters lived in a variety of centres in Cork including Dyke Parade and Mardyke Walk, until they settled into a permanent home in College Road in 1907. Their principal duties were to attend as nurses both day and night to invalids in their own homes. The pattern of diseases, developments in medical science and methods of caring for the sick changed and treatments subsequently required hospitalization. In response the Sisters opened the Bon Secours Hospital Cork (O’ Sullivan and Sr. Reginald, 1998) On 8 th December 1923, the Cork Bon Secours Sisters opened a nurse-training centre for young religious Sisters. In 1924, a year later, the Bon Secours Hospital was given formal recognition and approval as a training School for nurses by the then GNC. Sister Engelbert Burke was appointed as the first Nurse Tutor at the School of Nursing and continued in her role until 1950. Students gained experience on the five existing hospital wards, which encompassed medical, surgical, gynaecology, ear, nose and throat, paediatrics, and services such as outpatients, ophthalmology and X-ray. In 1956, the first 6 lay students joined the School to commence their education and training and a distinctive badge was devised. Derrynane an attractive house next door to the hospital was purchased and converted into a nurse’s home. By 1965 trainee numbers had increased and four Sister Tutors (Sr. John Crysostum Duggan, Sr. Angela Leamy (appointed Principal Tutor),

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