Pamela Allan recorded her interview with Yvonne Chapman on May 31, 1994. Ms Chapman came to Alberta in 1970 to be Employee Relations Officer with the AARN. The position was that of "basically a bargainer" in wage and working conditions negotiations with Alberta hospitals, and of working for recognition of nurses as professionals. Ms Chapman describes the growth of unionism in the profession, the decision of the AARN to cease being a bargaining agent for the union; the separation of the Association and the United Nurses of Alberta in 1977; strikes in Alberta and Saskatchewan; legislative changes; and her views on the future of professional unions in Alberta. A timed summary of the audiotape is included in the textual material.

Kay Christie was interviewed by Bill McNeil for the radio program "Voice of the Pioneer" in January 1992. She describes her wartime experiences beginning in 1941 when she was sent from Toronto to Vancouver by train, on a very secret posting. From Vancouver she and May Waters sailed, with 1975 men of the Royal Rifles of Canada and the Winnipeg Grenadiers, to Hawaii where they were told their destination was Hong Kong. They arrived in Hong Kong in November; the city was overrun and occupied by the Japanese by Christmas Day 1941. Miss Christie relates the atrocities committed by the occupying army following the invasion, but separates the behaviour of Japanese civilians from that of the Japanese military. She describes the hardships of life in the internment camps, which ended when the Canadian nurses were included with American civilians in a prisoner exchange with the Japanese. For further information, three articles written by Miss Christie about her experiences, and a memorial by Jessie Morrison, are located in AARN accession number 91.31.

Mrs Vera Gingras reviews her days at a student at Holy Cross Hospital, Calgary and her work experience at St Michael's Hospital, Lethbridge and St. Vincent's Hospital, Pincher Creek. Nursing practices during the wartime shortages of 1944-1945 are described. Mrs Gingras records her observations on the changes in medical/nursing/patient relationships, in medication and procedures, and in nurses' professional and union activities, that have taken place during her career.

Title taken from the contents of the fonds.

Miss Gourlay was interviewed by Lynne French in Calgary, Alberta, on December 30, 1993. She discusses her career as a staff nurse and nursing educator, her professional involvement with AARN (President, 1985-1987), and her views of the political situation of nurses in Alberta. Since 1990 she has taught a series of workshops to nurses interested in entering independent practice. She notes that there are barriers to such practice: although public health nurses have operated in the community for many years, they do so as employees, and there is no Federal or Alberta legislation that permits nurses to have direct access to patients as independent health care providers. Miss Gourlay considers the ways such practice might be put into effect, beginning with public awareness of the nurses's role in community health.

Lynne French interviewed Miss Robinson on January 28, 1994, for the oral history project of the AARN History of Nursing Professional Practice Group. Miss Robinson discusses her basic and advanced academic education in nursing. She spent most of her career in association with the Calgary General Hospital School of Nursing, and speaks of the problems in the administration of both the Hospital and the School in the early 1950s. These were resolved by new administrators, Dr. Lloyd Bradley and Miss Gertrude Hall and the position of the nursing students improved as a result of their changes. In 1959, changes in regulations at all three levels of government put severe limitations on the School's budget -- nurses were blamed for the high costs of medical service -- and once again the administration of the School and the Hospital was restructured. Miss Robinson speaks of Miss Hall's resignation as Director of Nursing and her encouragement for her instructors to go on to advanced degrees in their profession. She describes the closing of the CGH School of Nursing and her transfer to the University of Calgary.

Miss Eggen was interviewed by Lynne French on January 20, 1994. She discussed her training as a nurse and her career as an Army nurse, and as a public health nurse for the Victorian Order of Nurses, the Calgary Board of Health and the Federal government's Indian Health Services. She notes advances and changes in training and practice and the development of homecare services. She compares the inter-agency cooperation among charities and agencies she observed in Montreal with the competitive activities of service groups in Calgary.

Miss Street was interviewed by Sheila Zerr for the Registered Nurses Association of British Columbia and the summary of the audiotape was prepared originally by Deb Coulter for the AARN Archives. The interview took place on September 29, 1987. Miss Street reviews her career as a nursing teacher and administrator in Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Calgary. She names and pays tribute to the nursing leaders in Canada during her career, especially Ethel Johns and Gertrude Hall. Developments in nursing education throughout the country are discussed, particularly the impact the Weir Survey of nursing education curricula [1932] and the contributions of Gertrude Hall.

The fonds consists of 15 files and 14 audiotapes. Each student prepared a brief biography of her subject, a time/footage summary of the audiotaped conversation, permission and authorization sheets, and a descriptive essay. If photographs of the subjects were available copies were made for the file. Each interviewer asked her subject to describe her family history, education background, decision to enter nursing training, hospital training received, further education, work experience, professional and community activities, and thoughts on the changes she had observed in nursing practice since her entry into the profession. The subjects, with highlights of the interviews, are:;1. René (Ducker) Arsene, Lethbridge (Lisa Ober): Misericordia Hospital, Edmonton, 1945; nursing in Montana (AIREVAC) and Texas (polio epidemic). 2. Lois (Osecki) Barlett, Lethbridge (Jayda Zabolotney): Galt Hospital School of Nursing, Lethbridge, 1949; nursing in Alberta -- Grande Prairie, Pincher Creek, Lethbridge. 3. Carolyn (Aldridge) Cahoon, Cardston (Lois Halko): Holy Cross Hospital, Calgary, 1945; Southern Alberta, cross-cultural health care (Blood Indian reserves, Hutterite colonies), 1 col. Photograph. 4. Marjorie (McDonald) McNab Chapman, Lethbridge (Edith McNab): "Old" Galt Hospital, Lethbridge, 1934; Lethbridge Nursing Mission (forerunner of Public Health Nursing); experiences in Great Depression, innovations in equipment and supplies in hospitals; Elizabeth (Patteson) Taylor. 5. Joan (Maynard) Ferguson, Lethbridge (Kristi Rigaux): Toronto General Hospital, 1935; Navy nurse during World War II, serving in Newfoundland and Halifax (3 photographs). 6. Helen A. (Freed) Hope, Lethbridge (Stephanie a. Martian): Galt Hospital School of Nursing, Lethbridge, 1932; nursing training and work during the Depression. 7. Helen (Shimbashi) Ikebuchi, Taber, Alberta (Leanne Kiss): Medicine Hat School of Nursing, 1949; Japanese-Canadian student in the 1940s; operating room practice (2 photographs). 8. Alice A. C. (Pelletier) Jacobson Webster, Lethbridge (Pattie Gantefoer): Galt Hospital School of Nursing, Lethbridge, 1930; Lethbridge Nursing Mission; Student Health Services Department, University of Lethbridge. 9. Inez (McCormick) Kelly, Lethbridge (Sandra Reti): Hôtel Dieu School of Nursing, Chatham, NB; Lethbridge Community College School of Nursing. 10. Lois (Harper) McKillop, Lethbridge (Suzanne Nicol): Calgary General Hospital, 1945; professional associations and unions. 11. Sister Teresina McNeil, Lethbridge (Erin LaPlace): St. Joseph's Hospital School of Nursing, Glace Bay, NS, 1947; hospital administration, nursing education. 12. Lenore (Lancaster) Menard, Lethbridge (Terina Rindal): Vancouver General Hospital Nursing School, 1938; Mine Hospital, Wayne, Alberta; Army nurse in World War II: Ottawa, Kingston, Petawawa; #1 Canadian General Hospital, England; Virginia Hospitals, NATO hospitals. 13. Dr. Margaret (Young) Osborne, Calgary (Brenda Rowley): Holy Cross Hospital, Calgary, 1961; psychiatric and mental health nursing. 14. Helen Willms-Bergen, Coaldale, Alberta (Patricia Siemens): Galt Hospital School of Nursing, Lethbridge, 1952; missionary nurse: Altona, Manitoba; Hualien, Taiwan, 1957-1991. 15. Joan (Linn) Tonkin, Lethbridge (Lisa Knight-Zoeteman): Galt Hospital School of Nursing, Lethbridge, 1941; Kaslo, BC, Japanese internment town during World War II. Biography and authorization sheets, essay; no audiotape or time/footage summary.

Ms Sabin met with Lynne French of the AARN to read a survey of her career in nursing which was prepared following an outline from the History of Nursing Professional Practice Group. She describes the daily routine and the training program of student nurses, 1933-1938, and the changes brought about by the Weir Report (1932) and the CNA curriculum study (1936). On graduation, Ms Sabin was employed by the Provincial Public Health Nursing Branch, serving in Alder Flats/Pendryl. She summarizes the history of the nursing service, which began in Alberta in 1918 with 8 graduate nurses. She describes the types of work carried out by the public health nurses and the programs they could initiate in the rural areas: maternity and child care, homecare, school health, First Aid and immunization (among many others). Ms. Sabin also comments on effects of the changes brought about by restructuring of health care in Alberta during the 1990s. She sees a complete break with the services and programs that were in effect during her career.