posted May 2: Ontario’s first endowed chair in primary health care nursing established at McMaster
The commitment of nurses helping other nurses build stronger, healthier communities was celebrated today (May 2) with the establishment of the first endowed chair in the School of Nursing.
The Dorothy C. Hall Chair in Primary Health Care Nursing will focus on education and research that supports community-based primary health care nursing.
This type of health care ranges from nurses working in tuberculosis clinics to those working with volunteers in remote or rural areas in community health centres. It encourages self-reliance and community participation in decision-making about health issues and health promotion initiatives.
“Primary health care really services the community at the grass roots level,” said Andrea Baumann, associate dean of health sciences nursing in the Faculty of Health Sciences. “It is the interface between the patient and the practitioner. It is essential health care, practical, but scientific.”
The chair is named in honour of Dorothy C. Hall, a pioneer in primary health care nursing and long-time international nursing consultant with the World Health Organization.
Hall, who spent 26 years abroad pursuing her passion, advanced the role of nursing in primary health care in Canada and in countries such as Afghanistan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and Denmark.
She was also instrumental in helping the Ontario government implement the concept of the primary health care nurse practitioner in the provincial health care system.
“The School of Nursing in the Faculty of Health Sciences has been called the “flag-ship of Canadian nursing” by an international accreditation group. Under Associate Dean Andrea Baumann's leadership, our school has become internationally recognized for its important research initiatives and the nursing faculty's clear understanding of the vital relationship between education and practice,” said John Kelton, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences.
“This research chair honours the legacy of Dorothy C. Hall whose approach embodies the strengths of our School of Nursing. Miss Hall forged a commitment to learning through exploration and collaboration and sought out the best in health care practices no matter whether she was working in Canada or abroad.”
The $1-million research chair was created through generous donations to the School of Nursing. The donations include a bequest from the late Henrietta Alderson, one of three founding faculty members of the (integrated) undergraduate nursing program as well as contributions from other nursing faculty donors, including Hall. The University will match the endowment.
Established in 1948, McMaster's School of Nursing is one of Canada's most innovative and research-intensive nursing schools with the Faculty of Health Sciences' renowned problem-based learning model at its core. The School of Nursing is a World Health Organization Centre in Primary Health Care Nursing.
