Bamfield celebrates 75 years of remote nursing care

When the going’s tough, and it’s mighty rough
And sickness is getting worse
You pace the float for to meet the boat
That carries the Red Cross nurse.
— Excerpt from The Red Cross Nurse
by Sidney Hill, 1st. Battalion, Canadian Scottish Regiment,  February 1940

BAMFIELD – The Bamfield Red Cross Outpost Hospital has undergone many improvements and a few relocations over the past 75 years as it has evolved into the Bamfield Health Centre. While much has changed, the dedication and commitment of the rural outpost/remote nurses has remained constant and deeply valued in the community.

Sidney Hill described Isobel (Molly) Mollard as the Florence Nightingale of his detachment when he wrote his tribute in 1940 to the first registered nurse who provided care at the Bamfield Red Cross Outpost Hospital.

The facility is primarily staffed by a single registered nurse with special training to meet a wide range of needs – whether it’s taking blood samples from a resident, aiding an injured fisherman or arranging a patient’s transfer to hospital by Canadian Coast Guard vessel or BC Ambulance Service.

“Health care has been hugely important to our community,” said Heather Cooper, chair of the Bamfield Historical Society. “Without those services, it would be really difficult for people to live here. Twenty-four hours a day, you can get really good medical attention and it’s allowed older people to remain living here, which is a wonderful thing.”

Bamfield Historical Society is marking the 75^th anniversary of the hospital opening with a sandwiches and cake event Saturday, Sept. 6. It’s reminiscent of the annual strawberry teas and carnivals hosted as fundraisers by the Bamfield Outpost Hospital Auxiliary.

“People supported the events very well,” said Lorraine Hegstrom, of Victoria, who was active with the Bamfield Auxiliary from the late 1960s to the 1990s. She recalled a generous donor paying $75 for a plate of cinnamon buns on one occasion.

The appreciation of the residents is evident to Kathryn Kilpatrick, Rural Health Manager for Island Health. “When I’m in Bamfield, people make a point of thanking me for the continuing service at the health centre and the confidence it gives the community.”

Kilpatrick said it takes a particular kind of nurse to adapt to working in remote urgent care centres, providing ongoing and preventive health care as well as emergent and urgent cases. “They have to be confident in their skills and abilities and comfortable working on their own, connecting with doctors and other health care providers by phone, fax or email.”

Bev McInerney of Parksville, who served as a relief nurse in Bamfield in the 1970s described it as very fulfilling work. “You’d get the whole spectrum of health care. Every day was a new one. There were lots of rewarding times and you gained great respect for the nurses who had gone before you, working in less than ideal conditions.”

Nurses in remote centres develop self-reliance but a sense of humour is also important. McInerney recalled operating the hospital boat as she and outpost nurse Margaret Pardy paid a visit to an older patient. The boat made an unexpected move near the dock and Pardy went overboard, her nurse’s cap floating in the waves.

Donna Dunn has been the Certified Remote Registered Nurse responsible for the Bamfield Health Centre for the past 10 years. Nurses who provide care at the centre know they are carrying on an important tradition. “We’re all aware of what the previous nurses have done and their legacy. There’s a real pride in being able to provide the continuing service,” Dunn said.

Dunn is grateful for the advanced training, modern equipment and online resources that were unavailable in the past. “It’s really quite amazing how they managed so effectively.”

Like her predecessors, Dunn values the appreciation she receives from the people she serves. She relies strongly on partnerships within the community and beyond. Dunn has developed close relationships with nurses who serve the nearby Huu-ay-aht First Nation community of Anacla and provides care for First Nations clients when needed. She also works closely with the Bamfield Volunteer Fire Department, the BC Ambulance Service, the RCMP and the Canadian Coast Guard – and the Coast Guard’s Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria.

“One of the most complex parts of working in a remote area is transporting patients if there is a serious emergency or illness,” Dunn said.

Clifford Charles, former Officer in Charge of Coast Guard Station Bamfield, appreciated the strong working relationship between Coast Guard crews and the outpost nurses whether it was transporting a patient or co-ordinating treatment following a rescue operation. “The Red Cross Hospital being in Bamfield was the most valuable help that we could have with medical distress situations.”

He noted that before Coast Guard crews had access to first aid training including treatment of hypothermia, the outpost hospital was particularly important. “All the medical calls that the Coast Guard received – and there were quite a few – were taken care of by one Red Cross nurse who at times had relief but mainly was the only nurse on call, 24 hours a day,” Charles said.

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Cutline: The Bamfield Red Cross Outpost Hospital officially opened Aug. 31, 1939. Bamfield Historical Society will host a tea at the site Sept. 6 to mark 75 years of health care in the remote community on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Photo courtesy Bamfield Historical Society.

Online:

Photos of the Bamfield Health Centre on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/islandhealth/sets/72157637455671053/

Bamfield Historical Society:
http://www.bamfieldhistory.com/

About Bamfield:

Bamfield has attracted visitors, both nationally and internationally, for more than a century. In 1901, it was selected as the western terminus in North America for a round-the-world telegraph cable network. In 1908, it became part of the West Coast Lifesaving Trail, an oceanside route established because of the high number of shipwrecks off Vancouver Island.

That route has since become a popular destination for hikers from around the world who take on the rugged and challenging West Coast Trail. Commercial fishing has declined but the region is popular with recreational fisherman and Barkley Sound is a well-known destination for boaters.

In 1939, the Canadian Red Cross responded to community requests and opened a small hospital in a converted residence. To meet growing needs over the years, Bamfield’s original hospital was replaced in 1974 with a modular building floated in to the west side of the inlet.

In 2001, the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) funded a new multi-purpose health centre on the east side. In April 2005, the Canadian Red Cross completed transfer of Bamfield and five other outpost hospitals to the PHSA.  Regional health authorities took over administration of the facilities later that year.

The Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre has been an important part of the community since 1972 as a teaching and research facility and in recent years has attracted visitors to the Music by the Sea Festival.

Media Contact:

Bruce Patterson
Island Health Communications
250-740-6980
Robert.patterson@viha.ca