The Faculty of Health Sciences officially launched a nursing history research unit in January 2006. This unit is the first of its kind in Canada and will join forces with other international research units in Australia, Great Britain and the United States.
The Associated Medical Services Nursing History Research Unit, led by director Meryn Stuart and associate director Cynthia Toman, will develop, nurture and coordinate the study of nursing history in Canada. It will offer seminars, colloquia and conferences, and organize funding for new research and publications.
Starting in the summer of 2007, the unit will coordinate intensive three-month internships for students interested in historical research. These internships will be available to graduates in nursing or of any other discipline. These students will receive expert guidance from a knowledgeable staff in both nursing and history. Furthermore, master’s and doctoral students at the School of Nursing will be able to write their thesis on the history of nursing.
The unit also aims to insure the lasting legacy of the nursing profession by coordinating the donations of artifacts to appropriate venues like the Canadian Museum of Civilization and by maintaining an exhaustive bibliography on the history of nursing in Canada.
