Canadian Blood Services Building
8924 114 Street, Edmonton
In the 1970s, the building currently occupied by the Canadian Blood Services on the University of Alberta campus used to be a residence for medical doctors. At that time, not only nurses, but also many nursing aides and nursing assistants came from the Philippines often going to work in rural areas outside of Edmonton. Many of these nursing aides and assistants were registered nurses back home in the Philippines, but had not yet passed the English or board exams to work as a registered nurse in Canada.
In 1977, Tessie Oliva founded The Filipino Nurses Association with support from the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses (now the College and Association of Registered Nurses in Alberta), to "provide opportunity for members to reach their potential, to encourage personal responsibility and to help nurses of Filipino origin". At this time, this organization was known as the Filipino Nurses, Midwives, Certified Nursing Aides and Orderlies Association in Alberta. Its goal was to support all Filipino immigrants with health professional backgrounds to adjust and adopt to their new workplace and homeland.
One of the key activities of the Filipino Nurses' Association was to supports its members in passing these English and board exams. This organization coordinated study groups, developed curricula and provided instructional classes for many of their members. For the first ten years of their existence, the Filipino Nurses' Association met in this building on the University of Alberta campus to conduct their activities. The Filipino Nurses Association still exists and continues to support Internationally Educated Nurses in Alberta today.
Era: City Modern
Themes:
Trade & Industry
Cultural Groups:
Filipino
Area:
Southwest
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- 53.524230 -113.525598