America's first formally educated Nurse Anesthetist

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

sr. bernard sheridan

(1860-1924)

celebrating america's first formally educated nurse anesthetist, trained and educated by saint vincent's hospital, erie, pennsylvania

view pictures of the dedication ceremony

www.archivists.org/periodicals/ao_backissues/ao-july05.pdf

[deepz]

Wonder where the PANA came up with the formally educated part.

Ira Gunn, writing in the history chapter of Nag & Zag, refers back to Thatcher:

"Sister Mary Bernard founded the Sisters of St. Joseph of Wichita, Kansas, and in 1877 entered St. Vincent's Hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania, to train as a nurse. A year later she took over the anesthesia duties of the hospital..........." (First Edition, p.4)

A year later??!! In one year she became a nurse AND an anesthetist! How do we define 'formal education' I wonder?

deepz