11 episodes
- In this episode, we hear the first-hand accounts and negative experiences faced by the nurses, as Irish migrants in Britain and especially at the height of the Northern Ireland Troubles
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. - Marking St Brigid's Day, we hear in this episode why Irish nurses were perceived as the steadfast embodiment of the caring profession that was at the heard of Britain's National Health Service.
During the 19th and 20th Centuries, swathes of Irish - born citizens travelled across the sea to find opportunity in Britain. While many depictions of Irish migrants were derogatory, the figure of the Irish nurse remains esteemed. Hardworking and friendly, Irish nurses were often well received
Irish families in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s were generally larger than today; so it wasn't unusual to have at least one nurse in the Irish family unit, however, lack of employment and difficulty in getting a nurse training place in Ireland drove many young women and men across the Irish Sea and into the arms of Britain's National Health Service
We are now at the halfway point in the Irish Nurses in the NHS story where we are following the trajectory of the lives of these nurses, how they were recruited into the NHS, leaving home, stories of life in the nurse's home, the uniform, nurse training, the wards and patients. But how were they perceived as Irish nurses in Britain? What was the X Factor that helped to create the image of the Irish nurse as indefatigable?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. - Launching Episode 7 of the Irish Nurses in the NHS Podcast series on Women's Christmas; known as Nollaig na mBan in Ireland, we hear about the different hospital patients that the nurses cared for and how these experiences helped shape their future nursing careers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- As Britain was emerging from World War 2, the nurse's uniform played a vital role in the public consciousness as a motif of authority and rank that was based on military discipline. It inspired public trust and patient confidence, the NHS was in full mobilization fortified by the tens of thousands of Irish nurses who were recruited into the ranks of frontline healthcare in Britain
Episode 6 of the Irish Nurses in the NHS Podcast Series, we hear the story of how the nurses' uniform was a dominant force that placed the nurse front and centre in the NHS in the early years and how the iconic image of the nurse's uniform has evolved over the years in 'Belts & Buckles'
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About Irish Nurses in the NHS
Since Britain's National Health Service was established in 1948 tens of thousands of Irish women and men left Ireland and went to train as nurses in the UK health service. Recruitment drives throughout the 1950s & 60s saw NHS staff travel around Ireland to interview and sign up mainly Irish teenage girls for nurse training. The Irish Nurses in the NHS Podcast series shares the experiences and lives of nurses who travelled from Ireland and helped build Britain's national health service over these decades up to the present day. In this series you'll hear from many of these Irish nurses; their motivations to leave home: how they adapted to their new lives in Britain and what their training entailed. The podcast series includes many funny memories as well as some heartbreaking stories. It will look at questions of was it like to leave Ireland in your teens (literally) and arrive in a new and unfamiliar country - and that was in a time when there was no internet, mobile phones or computers! How were they welcomed and what was life like in Britain? This podcast series aims to answer these questions and brings to life the untold stories of Irish nurses in the NHS. The Irish Nurses in the NHS podcast series and the broader Irish Nurses in the NHS Project would not have been possible without the generous contribution of the Irish nurses themselves who trusted us with their stories to whom we are indebted . The Irish Nurses in the NHS podcast series is hosted by Grainne McPolin and produced in collaboration with Professor Louise Ryan & Neha Doshi The Irish Nurses in the NHS Podcast Series was produced in association with the Irish Government department of Foreign Affairs; Irish Abroad Unit and the London Irish Centre;Thanks to Burdett Trust for Nursing, Liverpool University’s Institute of Irish Studies Irish Community Care, Liverpool Irish Centre, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation Buckinghamshire New University for their continued support. Please note that the names of some contributors have been changed in order to protect their identities. Credits: Music: ‘Resonance’ by Amala Reidun Schlesinger & Paul de Grae Assistant Production on episode 1: Five Elements MediaAssistant Production Episode 10 Mary Lavery-Carrig Branding & Marketing Kelly Crichton Cover Design: London Irish Centre Photos by the kind courtesy to Bernie Naughton and Noreen Schierz Photos processed by portrait photographer Fiona Freund).Voice Over Recording: Pat's Tracks Recording Studios Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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