UCC SONM 25 Year Book

UCC / School of Nursing and Midwifery

Acknowledgement

This book tracks the historical development of nursing and midwifery from the early times to the present it profiles the challenges faced, acknowledges visionary leaders who responded to both societal and health service demands and latterly how nurse and midwifery education transferred into University College Cork (UCC). We would like to acknowledge the nurses and midwives who chose to complete their studies in association with UCC; clinical partners who contributed to their education and the staff of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, UCC. We would like to particularly acknowledge those who drew on their extensive experience to contribute to specific sections in this book including: Dr. Nicola Cornally (Research), Dr. Harry Gijbels (Psychiatric Nursing), Dr. Helen Mulcahy (Community/Public Health Nursing), Dr. John Sweeney (Intellectuality Disability Nursing), Dr. Rhona O’Connell (Midwifery), Nuala Walshe (Clinical Skills and Simulation), Carmel Buckley (NMPDU), Dr. Seán Kelleher and Carol Condon (International Developments). Specific thanks is also due to Dr. Mary Rose Day for her editorial and proof reading skills and to Ms. Kay O’Sullivan for contributing to early versions of the text and providing some of the photos which she sourced from individuals who had worked for the health services over the years. Thank you to Therese Ahern and Dr. Teresa Wills for their assistance with this project.

To Tony Archer who searched for appropriate photos to include and who contributed to the overall design of the Book. We would also like to acknowledge the vital role played by Regina Murphy, School Manager whose knowledge of the history of the School was invaluable and who provided administrative support and relevant documentation. On the production level we wish to thank all those who helped with the design and lay out of the text including Gavin O’Shea, Two and Six Creative and Michael Courtney, City Print, Cork. There were many people who contributed to this book, too many to name everyone, thus we would like to thank everyone who contributed to the work of the School over the last 25 years and to those who contributed to this account of the history of the School. The Book hopefully will find a place in many homes as an accessible but also comprehensive and reasonably detailed record of the historical development of nursing and midwifery in Cork. Those early in their careers can read and understand the origins of our disciplines and how nurse and midwifery education in this region progressed to become the School of Nursing and Midwifery we see today in University College Cork (UCC). The School continues to support an agenda of excellence in education, research, clinical practice and community engagement which we hope future generations of educators and students will propel forward.

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