History of Nursing | nwfirstfleeters

The history of nursing

NURSES IN THE THEATRES OF WAR.

A talk given by Suzanne Turner to the Chapter meeting on Saturday 4th April 2015

Firstly thank you for inviting me to speak with you as we think of the extraordinary role nurses played in all theatres of war

Let me first give you some back ground.

Nursing is as old as mankind itself. There has always been those individuals who have felt the need to help, comfort, care for and contribute to the betterment of the human state. That “need “is what drives us all and certainly took nurses into the field of conflict.

Nursing genesis was in Holy orders. So probably nurse’s earliest experience was to care for wounded Knights as they returned home from the crusades, all those centuries ago.

Since that time nursing within the armed forces has gained increasing importance.

With advances in “how, when and where” we treat our service men and now women on active service, the role of the nurse is an essential component.

As we look at the development of this service we cannot overlook the importance and contribution of the most influential of all nurses Florence Nightingale. Yes she was British but the model she designed and used set the bar for future nursing professionals.

With thirty seven Miss Nightingale trained nurses Florence volunteered to serve in the Crimea War and worked at Scutari in Turkey. Miss Nightingale devoted her life to the care of “her veterans” Her nursing model we have used, modified and improved upon to this day

In 1899 the NSW Army Nursing Service Reserve was formed in July. By December seven nurses sailed for South Africa and the Boer war. Other states quickly followed and further contributed to the war effort.

As we pour through resources we find nursing services are given little credence and minimal mention. Often it’s who did what where. The impact a nurse’s very presence in the “Thick “of it and the overwhelming emotional value to the “diggers” is lost in the telling. To say nothing of their professional skills, stamina, sense of duty and the fulfilment of that “need” not just for the nurses but the diggers as well. It was not at all unusual for nurses to experience very obvious resentment. Here we have a nursing service- females aged 24 to 35 years trying to establish a modicum of authority in a totally male dominated army. Let’s not go there!!

World War 1 the model of treating casualties had changed little. We now knew the the benefits of sunshine, diet, asepsis and Carbolic but our method of retrieval was the same. Bring the wounded by whatever method to the hospital well behind the lines.

Such a hospital was set up in Cairo in a very palatial hotel. The bed capacity was 550 beds. Then casualties started coming in from Gallipoli the bed capacity rose to 2500. Nursing numbers were increased to 150 a patient ratio of l6-l !!! It was becoming obvious that injuries were worse as man become more devious and cruel. But then wasn't the Great War the War to end all Wars?

During and between the wars Army General Hospitals, Repatriation Hospitals and Sanatorium were set up for the long and short term care of retuning servicemen. These facilities were staffed by nurses (Female not enlisted personnel) VAD's (Voluntary Aide Detachment female) and Orderlies (male) During Wartime those casualties that could travel arrived by Hospital ship, Hospital train. And Ambulance to these facilities. The nurses at Greenslopes, Concord, Heidelberg, Daw Park and Hollywood although far from the war zones, played an integral role in the recovery and rehabilitation of our diggers.

World War 2 again saw man’s inhumanity to man. If you read Peter Fitzsimons book “ Tobruk” we learn that our first VC winner in that conflict was . Jack Edmondson. Jack lay mortally wounded in the trenches for four days till he finally succumbed. We had neither the capabilities nor the knowledge at that time to change our retrieval methods.

Clearly things had to change: Some things did, in this theatre both protagonists treated a causalities as serving personnel irrespective of allegiance. In later conflicts this has remained the practice and is sometimes a challenge for practitioners.

It was an accepted fact that help needed to go to the injured, to this date the question was HOW? The Korean War and the American Army led the way. The development and refinement of the helicopter was the answer and fighting forces throughout the world put this wonderful “whirly bird” into action. Don't think for a minute field retrieval was as seen on “Mash” as the norm not quite. At last we could take skilled help to the wounded and move them quickly to well-equipped field hospitals for care. Early intervention is the key.

The Vietnam War presented us with a whole new set of circumstances with which we had to contend, Injuries caused by firearms, land mines, napalm , agent orange and the ever present development of infection of unknown ethology

In the field one trained person renders immediate care when the need arises. He carries bandages, intravenous fluids and pain control. The medical retrieval is summoned. The helicopter renders a transfer to a fully equipped field hospital with theatre staff intensive care and ward staff all drawn from enlisted nursing personnel. This, hopefully all happens as quickly as possible. After treatment, often hours of surgery, service men are then assessed for transfer. This is carried out with nursing staff in attendance, aircraft fully fitted out. Casualties are moved to large military hospitals situated in allied countries or, as was in the case in Vietnam, those that were well enough to travel were bought home via Butterworth to Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane or on to New Zealand.

In all these conflicts nurses were there. If you research this subject you will be hard pressed to Find considered research material. Looking at a 650 page “H1story of the Vietnam War", I found some lines only, “Tears on my Pillow” was written by a nurse in the same conflict, we won’t discuss that further, But Dr Ruth Rae is to release a history of Australian Nurses in the theatres of War. Ruth is a celebrated author and historian. The book is for realise on ANZAC Day in April.

I recently travelled in Tasmania and I set myself a little task. To see how many RSL and War Memorials would mention “Nurses”. Let me tell you I was very disappointed with what I found. We should be very proud and thankful that our “City Fathers’ have paid honour to the part nurses played in the wars from this area. The memorial in the next park does nurses proud. Our Nurses are really our unsung heroes’ going about their work because that is what you do, isn’t it? Throughout History in the theatres of war, names such as Florence Nightingale, Edith Caville and Vivian Bullwinkle (the lone survivor of the Banka Island Massacre) will be honoured as leaders of a dedicated band of service women who served their country and strove tirelessly to contribute to the betterment of mankind.

Let me end with a short poem ....,..

Hold MY Hand.

She glided to the bedside and held the soldier's hand.

She just sat, without a word, she could understand.

She'd seen too much hopelessness, the men who'd not survive.

She still sat and held his hand, sat quietly there, and smiled.

The soldier he was thinking how priceless was this nurse;

for every wounded soldier getting better, getting worse?

Patching broken bodies of course that was their craft;

along with all the doctors and the working medic staff.

But nurses they were special, with tenderness and care,

they helped the soldiers battle through the pain they couldn’t bear.

They knew they needed tenderness, a smile and a laugh.

The nurses were all angels, no halo just a scarf.

They put up with the doctors who were quick to criticise,

but nurses were the ones reflected in the soldiers eyes.

Working for long hours daily, often hard to keep awake,

and still the care and diligence to make sure no mistake.

They took the place of soldiers' mothers, sisters and their wives.

They took their place and gave them peace for minutes of their lives

To die in war alone, without someone to hold your hand;

the nurse and the soldier both, they could understand.

The bleeding men, the tired men, the shocked men and the scared,

searching for the answers to the questions never dared,

For nurses the adventure cold, the glory now was gone,

yet nurses for the soldiers, their glory always shone.