South Western Region Region Schools Timeline - 1974
North Devon School of Nursing
Devon

In 1974 the South Western Region's North Devon School of Nursing was based at Barnstaple, Devon. This school had training places places for 40 SRN student nurses plus 30 SEN (General) pupil nurses per year.  There was also cadet nurse scheme with 6 places to help feed recruitment.

All were part of the then still mushrooming growth of the NHS following its inception in1948.  An NHS which was to cater for all.  Cradle to the grave. An NHS attempting to cover almost all known medical conditions. Not surprising then that since that beginning there had developed a plethora of nursing specialties, some sub-divided into highly specialized categories, all designed to meet particular needs. The nurses to meet those needs - General, Sick Children's, Mental, and Mental Subnormality Nurses, were all, by 1974, being trained under the auspices of the General Nursing Councils. One for England and Wales; one for Scotland; and one for Northern Ireland.

North Devon Infirmary
Alexandra Hospital
North Devon District Hospital
Moorhaven Hospital
Bideford and District Hospital
Torridge Hospital
SRN
SEN (General)
*NB. Pro-forma badges - will be replaced with actual asap. Postcode needed.

This 1974 timeline is about the North Devon School of Nursing, which trained the vast majority of nurses who then initially practiced in the area.  About the courses. About the students who followed them to become registered nurses. About the awards they gained on the way. About their teachers, including ward staff. About the hospitals. About nursing practice. Above all it is about the reality of the practice of nurse education and training in the '70's. Perhaps you were one of them. If so why not tell us all about it on our forum. Welcome!!

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