61 Years Ago Nursing in Switzerland

In September of 1959 two of my nursing  Psychiatric Nursing colleagues, Marion Bronsch and Jacqui Dutruit and I travelled to England to work for 6 months, in Belmont Hospital Sutton, Surrey. During the next six months that followed we hitch-hike throughout Europe and by August 1960 we ran out of money so had to find  work in order to return to Canada. 

Lorraine,  Marion, Jacqui 

Fortunately, we were able to find hospitals that accepted our nursing degree. Jacqui in “Hopital de Cery”,  Lausanne,  while Marion and I in a small hospital located between Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland.  Here is it's  history which is still in operation today: 

Quotes from  “Notes and Clippings-It all started in Saskatchewan”, autobiography, 

Page 131“Institution Lavigny In 1905, shocked by the tragic death of a young epileptic, Charles Subilia, Minister of National Waldensian Church, laid before his colleagues at the Conference of Cantonal ministers a report on the public assistance Vaud in which he advocates creation of an "asylum for the sick can not be allowed in the current charitable institutions and especially people with epilepsy." In September 1906 consists in the Hôtel de Ville de Lausanne "the Company in favour of epilepsy", which is the acquisition of a property in the village of Lavigny. In 1907 there was opened a shelter that welcomes minors sixteen residents. The Institution Lavigny was born, and with it the assumption by the company of people with epilepsy in respect of moral values footprints of any religious philosophy of the new century: the love of neighbour, self-sacrifice, family spirit”

Page 131 “Because of the language barrier (French/English) and our short time there (2months),  Dr. Tchicaloff hired Marion and I as nurses aids.  Our wages would be 50 SF a month, ($50.00). We would be working twelve hour shifts, seven in the morning to seven in the evening, with two hours off at noon and tea breaks. For our first month we got one days off a week. There was no sick time. If we were not able to work due illness the day-off would be used”

Lorraine Christmas 1960 

Page 133 “By the end of October we had made our minds up. Marion and I talked it over with Jacqui and we decided we would like to work until spring. When we told Dr. Tchicaloff  of our decision he raised our wages to 550 SF a month. I felt much better for staying another four months and earning more money. Now we were encouraged to take French lessons.”

Page 136 (From Letter of Recommendation) 

“I, the  unassigned, Dr. Michel Tchicaloff, Medical Director of the Institution of Lavigny certified that Miss Lorraine Bertrand worked  as nurse since the September 5, 1960 with  satisfaction. Her work  in particularly with  the various problems posed by patients with epilepsy. We  regret to see her leave and want all our best for the continuation of her career.”  

Today the three of us remember those time together with nostalgia.