Myra Louise Taylor facts for kids
Myra Louise Taylor (born September 24, 1881 – died January 8, 1939) was an important nursing leader in Newfoundland. For over twenty years, starting in 1916, she was the head nursing superintendent at St. John's General Hospital. She was one of the first students to graduate from the hospital's new School of Nursing. As superintendent, she was also in charge of the School of Nursing. Myra Taylor also trained in London, England, and became a member of new nursing groups there.
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Early Life and Learning
Myra Taylor was born in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland. She was the youngest of nine children. She went to school at the Church of England Academy in Bay Roberts.
In 1907, she moved to St. John's to attend the new School of Nursing. After she graduated in 1910, she immediately became the head nurse for the surgical wards at the St. John's General Hospital.
In 1911, she left her job to study how to help mothers give birth (midwifery) at Queen Charlotte Maternity Hospital in London. There, she earned a special diploma. She then went to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where she learned about Swedish massage. She returned to Newfoundland in August 1913.
Her Nursing Career
When Myra Taylor came back to Newfoundland, she worked as a private nurse. In 1914, she volunteered with the St. John Ambulance Brigade.
Helping in a Disaster
When the SS Newfoundland sealing ship had a terrible accident, Myra Taylor helped set up a temporary hospital. She and other volunteers from the St. John Ambulance Brigade cared for the people who survived. She often worked for the St. John Brigade and became a leader in their nursing division.
Leading the Hospital's Nurses
On April 1, 1916, Myra Taylor was chosen to be the Superintendent of Nurses and the School of Nursing at the St. John's General Hospital. She took over from Mary Southcott.
Myra Taylor had many important jobs as superintendent. She had to check the 120 hospital beds and the nurses' home every day. She made sure everything was clean and running well. She also taught three classes a week at the School of Nursing. She was in charge of student applications, admissions, and reports on nurses. She also managed the supplies like linen, medicines, and bandages. Early in her time as superintendent, she added new subjects to the nursing school's lessons, such as bone care (orthopaedics), nursing rules (ethics), and how to deal with contagious diseases.
Facing Challenges
Myra Taylor faced many difficulties. The hospital's leaders often did not support her work. She was working during a time of money problems, World War I, poverty, and political changes. Her assistant and the head of the nurses' home both quit. Myra Taylor had to take on their duties for only a small pay raise. This was very stressful, and she needed a year off from work in 1924–1925.
While she was away, the School of Nursing became so bad that the hospital manager thought about closing it. A special report in 1930 looked into the health care problems in Newfoundland. It said that Myra Taylor had too many duties for one person to handle.
Myra Taylor wanted to make working conditions better for nurses. She wanted to reduce their long workdays from fourteen hours to eight hours, like nurses in other parts of North America. However, the hospital did not think this was possible. She asked the government for this change in 1917 and 1919, but an eight-hour workday for nurses was only introduced in the 1950s.
In 1935, she received a King George V Silver Jubilee Medal. This was a special award from the King. When she passed away, her obituary (a notice about her death) was printed in a British nursing journal.
Awards and Groups
- October 1923: Her name was added to the official list of nurses in England and Wales.
- 1928: She joined the British Nursing Association.
- May 1932: She was named a Fellow of the British College of Nurses (FBCN). This is a high honor.
- 1935: She received the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.
- She was the President of the General Hospital Nurses Alumnae Association.
- 1919: She was on the executive board when the Newfoundland Midwifery Board was created.
- She volunteered for the Child Welfare Association.
- She volunteered for the Girls' Friendly Society.
See also
- List of people of Newfoundland and Labrador
- List of communities in Newfoundland and Labrador
Images for kids
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Myra Taylor is the central figure in the middle row amongst other members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade involved in caring for survivors of the SS Newfoundland sealing disaster.
