Americans began training the first Filipino nursing students in 1907. Nursing students in the Philippines studied many of the same subjects as nursing students in the U.S. However, it was believed that the curriculum in the Philippines “was never a mirror-image reproduction of the American nursing curriculum” and involved more than a simple transfer of knowledge from American nurses to Filipino nurses. The first Filipino nursing students also studied subjects that were more relevant to their patients, such as “the nursing of tropical diseases” and “industrial and living conditions in the islands,” as described by Lavinia L. Dock’s 1912 book A History of Nursing: From the Earliest Times to the Present Day with Special Reference to the Work of the Past Thirty Years.
Formal training in hospital school of nursing transpire. This began when American missionary doctors and nurses realized that they manpower is insufficient. Thus it resulted to a decision of training Filipino nurses that would be catering to the hospitals that Americans established in the 20th century.
The first hospital in the Philippines which trained Filipino nurses in 1906 was Iloilo Mission Hospital, established by the Baptist Missionaries. When this health institution was built, there were no strict requirements for the applicants as long as they are all willing to work. This has been the beginning of development of more nursing schools in the country. In this period, Pensionado Act of 1903 (or Act 854) was mandated, allowing Filipino nursing student to study in United States. Among of the first wave of nurses who went to United States.
Iloilo Mission Hospital School of Nursing (Iloilo City, 1906)
It was ran by the Baptist Foreign Mission Society of America. Miss Rose Nicolet, a graduate of New England Hospital for Women and Children in Boston, Massachusetts was the first superintendent for nurses. It moved from its present location to Jaro Road, Iloilo City in 1929. Miss Flora Ernst, an American nurse, took charge of the school in 1942. In April 1944 graduate nurses took the first Nurses Board Examination at the Iloilo Mission Hospital.
Saint Paul’s Hospital School of Nursing (Manila, 1907)
The hospital was established by the Archbishop of Manila, Jeremiah Harty under the supervision of the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres located in Intramuros. It provided general hospital services. It opened its training school for nurses in 1908, with Mother Melanie as superintendent and Miss Chambers as Principal.
Philippine General Hospital School of Nursing (Manila, 1907)
PGH began in 1901 as a small dispensary for Civil officers and Employees in the City of Manila and later grew as a Civil Hospital. In 1906, Mary Coleman Masters, an educator advocated for the idea of training Filipino girls for the profession of nursing with the approval of Government officials, she first opened a dormitory for Girls enrolled at the Philippine Normal Hall and the University of the Philippines.
In 1907, with the support of Governor General Forbes and the Director of Health and among others, she opened classes in nursing under the Auspices of the Bureau of Education. Admission was based on an entrance examination. The applicant must have completed elementary education to the seventh grade. Julia Nichols and Charlotte Clayton taught the students nursing subjects. American physician also served as lecturers.
In 1910, the Act No. 1976 modified the organization of the school placing it under the supervision of the Department of Health. The Civil Hospital was abolished and the Philippine General Hospital was established.
St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing (Quezon City, 1907)
The hospital is an Episcopalian Institution. It began as a small dispensary in 1903. In 1907, the school opened with three girls admitted. These three girls had their first year in combined classes with the PGH School of Nursing and St. Paul’s Hospital School of Nursing. Miss Helen Hicks was the first principal. Mrs. Vitaliana Beltran was the first Filipino superintendent of nurses and Dr. Jose Fores was the first medical director of the hospital.
Mary Johnston Hospital and School of Nursing (Manila, 1907)
It started as a small dispensary on Calle Cervantes (now Avenida). It was called the Bethany Dispensary and funded by the Methodist Mission for the relief of suffering among women and children. In 1907, Sister Rebecca Parrish together with registered nurses Rose Dudley and Gertude Dreisbach, organized the Mary Johnston School of Nursing. The nurses’ training course began with three Filipino young girls fresh from elementary as their first students.
--------------------------------------------
Follow us on Facebook
www.thefilipinonurse.net
The filipinonurse.net is always on the lookout for interesting stories about Filipino Nurses worldwide. If you know of a Filipino nurse who should be featured here, please feel free to send us a message via our Facebook Page.
0 Comments