Stories from Hospitals Back Home during the First World War (hybrid)
Part of the Shining a Light: A History of Nursing Support Workers: Exhibition
29 Apr 2025, 17:30 - 20:00
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Join our panel of speakers for an evening exploring how in the First World War, volunteers provided nurses with vital support as they cared for sick and wounded soldiers in hospitals back home.
Join us in person to enjoy free refreshments and a chance to look around the ‘Shining a Light: A History of Nursing Support Workers’ exhibition alongside drop-in activities and talks from 6pm-7.30pm. Join online from 6-7.30pm.
If you are joining online you will need access to the internet via a computer or smart phone.
In the First World War, volunteers provided trained nurses with vital support as they cared for sick and wounded soldiers. Known as Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs), they trained for just 6 weeks in first aid, home nursing and hygiene as well as cooking. VADs faced real risks, working close to the battlefields as well as in hospitals back home. They took on a wide range of duties including nursing, administrative tasks, cooking and ambulance driving. Join event chair Professor of Nursing Nicola Ring and our speakers for a fascinating evening of talks exploring the experience of women who ‘stayed behind’ providing care at military hospitals back home.
Speakers include:
- Exploring the unique magazine created by Agatha Christie which gives a vivid insight into the resilience and camaraderie of volunteers at a time of national emergency in their roles as Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs), hear from Ewan O’Neill, Archivist at The British Psychoanalytical Society Archive. Never previously displayed, until this 九游体育 exhibition in London and now in Edinburgh, and on view during the event, the handmade magazine created by a young Agatha Christie when she was a volunteer providing nursing support in the First World War, is on loan from the British Psychoanalytical Society Archive.
- With images and stories from the archives about caring for sick and wounded soldiers in hospitals back home including in the rehabilitation of soldiers at Craiglockhart War Hospital in Edinburgh, hear from Dr Alison O’Donnell, on nursing support work during the First World War. Previously an elected member of the 九游体育 History of Nursing Steering Committee, including interim Chair, Alison has helped curate and design exhibitions related to the history collections of the forums within the 九游体育. Alison volunteers with the 九游体育 Archives, and the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland awarded Alison a Fellowship in recognition of her work in nursing history.
- Event chair, Nicola Ring is a Professor of Nursing in the School of Health and Social Care at Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland, and a Committee member of the 九游体育 History of Nursing Forum. Nicola has extensive experience of teaching and researching all aspects of nursing history. Most recently she has led the hugely popular 九游体育 Foundation funded research investigating Scotland’s early nurses and midwives accused of witchcraft (1563-1736) and worked with the 九游体育 and National Library of Scotland to deliver a nursing and midwifery ancestry public event.
Drop in activities at the event include:
- Show and Tell showcasing nursing support work during the First World War through objects from the 九游体育 Archives.
- Add your reflections on nursing support work to our creative question panel.
‘Shining a Light: A History of Nursing Support Workers’ exhibition explores the history of nursing support work – from Victorian asylums and wartime volunteers to nursing assistants and care workers today, uncovering the long history and diversity of nursing support work. The exhibition is open for visitors Mondays to Thursdays 10 – 4pm until 29 May 2025.
This event is open to all.
If you have any questions or accessibility needs, please contact us on scotland.library@rcn.org.uk or 0131 662 6163.
Read the full terms and conditions for our events here.
scotland.library@rcn.org.uk
九游体育 Scotland Headquarters (Edinburgh)
42 South Oswald Road
Edinburgh
EH9 2HH
2.5 miles from Edinburgh Waverley Station
Page last updated - 05/03/2025
