- Panel – NURSES OF THE CZECHOSLOVAK RED CROSS
…………IN GREAT BRITAIN 1939–1945 - Panel – Assistance to compatriots
- Panel – Nursing Department and nursing courses
- Panel – S.R.N. – State Registered Nurse
- Panel – Location of Czechoslovak nurses
- Panel – CRC nurse uniforms
- Panel – Components of the uniform of Emília Součková
- Panel – Medical expeditions
- Panel – Marie Rechtová
- Panel – Period Press
S.R.N. – State Registered Nurse
“It is a brief record of the work of hundreds of auxiliary nurses who became soldiers of the Czechoslovak Red Cross to fight in this sphere of war activity.” (D. Šperková: Czechoslovak Red Cross in London, Czechoslovak no. 22, 30. 5. 1941)
Of the Czechoslovak women who emigrated to GB, five Czechoslovak nursing school graduates applied to the CRC.
The Nursing Department sought to expand this group and those auxiliary nurses who wanted to further their education were allowed to graduate from English nursing schools and obtain the English title of State Registered Nurse as fully qualified registered nurses. The General Nursing Council for England and Wales was established in 1919 to keep a register of nurses in these two UK countries.
Nurses – pupils earned the title of S.R.N. after four years of practice in an English hospital and after passing two intermediate exams and one final exam. They received a certificate proving their practice in the hospital, a certificate conferring the title of S.R.N. and a badge.
The Nursing Department regularly informed the CRC Presidium that Czechoslovak nurses were passing their exams with very decent results.
“The response of this work in the England nursing world was considerable, and the doors of nursing organizations and hospitals were beginning to open.“ (Marie Rechtová, chair of the CRC Nursing Department, Congress of Registered Nurses in Czechoslovakia in 1946)
Illustration on the left:
- Notice addressed to Eva Adlerová on the successful passing of the first and second part of the preliminary state examination. (The author’s private archive)
- On the left: Notice addressed to Eva Adlerová on the successful passing of the state examination and on her addition to the Register of Nurses of England and Wales. (The author’s private archive)
- On the right: Confirmation of the completed practice of Eva Adlerová in the hospital in Warwick. (The author’s private archive)
Illustration on the right:
- Top and bottom – both sides of the certificate of Eva Adlerová’s inclusion in the register of nurses after completing the required examinations for S.R.N. The General Nursing Council for England and Wales kept a register of nurses. The certificate contains the nurse’s name, examination date and number in the register of nurses as well as the badge. (The author’s private archive)
Illustrations below:
- Badge of the General Nursing Council for England and Wales. The framing of the badge is in the shape of a rose, a symbol of England. In the inner circle there are daffodils on sides 2 and 2, the symbol of Wales. The centerpiece of the badge is Hygieia, Greek goddess of health, cleanliness and hygiene. In her hands she holds a snake, a symbol of healing, and a bowl, a symbol of abundance. The reverse side was imprinted with the name of the bearer, the title she received, the number under which she was registered in the nurses‘ register, and the date of passing the exam. (The author’s private archive)