The Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing began in 1944 when
Dr. Garfield wrote the California Board of Nurse Examiners
requesting that the Permanente Foundation Hospital in Oakland,
and the Permanente Field Hospital in Richmond establish a
three-year diploma in nursing.
During
those negotiations, the Board asked whether the Permanente
Hospital would share their facilities for students enrolled
in their senior year of the Nursing Cadet Corps. From 1944
to 1946 students, from the Cadet Corps used the Oakland facility
for clinical practice.
By June 1947, the Board of Nurse Examiners
approved the Permanente Foundation Hospital in Oakland for
the establishment of a School of Nursing with the express
purpose of:
"Preparing young women in the
art and science of nursing with special emphasis to be placed
on the teachings of methods of protecting community health
and on the skills and techniques of bedside nursing."
The Early Years
At its inception, a Board of Trustees from the Permanente
Hospital and the Chief Administrative Officer controlled the
School. The Director of Nursing was given an equal level of
jurisdiction and control with the Medical Director. They had
authority over the hospital and the School of Nursing.
The Director of Nursing, as well as faculty
members, served dual roles of Nursing Education andNursing
Service. Funds were set aside for the operation of the school
by the Permanente Foundation Hospital, the Health Plan, and
the Kaiser Family.
In the early years, students were assigned
to the Permanente Community Hospital in Vallejo for the first
six months of their pre-clinical period and attended Vallejo
Junior College for basic science classes. The remainder of
the student experience was obtained at the Permanente Hospital
in Oakland, with the exception of a six-week affiliation at
Highland Hospital Oakland for communicable disease experience.
The pre-clinical experience at Vallejo
was discontinued after the class of 51-A completed that phase
of their education. Arrangements were made with Holy Names
College in Oakland to provide classes in general education
as well as science. This gave students the opportunity to
earn additional credits toward a Baccalaureate Degree.
In 1950 the school expanded its program
to include a three-month affiliation in Psychiatric Nursing
at the Veteran's Hospital in Palo Alto and contracted with
Contra Costa Community College, Richmond for its general education
and science courses.
In 1951, the Board of Nursing granted
approval for affiliation in Tuberculosis Nursing and Rehabilitation
Nursing at Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Vallejo, and the Kabat
Kaiser Institute in Santa Monica. That year, the school sought
and was granted an approval for an eight-week experience in
Rural Nursing at the Permanente Hospital Fontana.
The curriculum continued to be refined
and expanded to enrich clinical and learning opportunities
for the students.
Changing Names
and Changing Times
In 1953, the name of the Permanente School of Nursing was
changed to Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing and became
an independent institution. With this reorganization, the
school appointed its own Director of Nursing Education. Faculty
was responsible for full time instruction and supervision
of the educational program. At this time, the school also
received full accreditation from the National League for nursing.
Affiliations
were secured for Obstetrical Nursing at Kaiser Foundation
Hospital in San Francisco and Communicable Diseases at San
Francisco City and County Hospital. Due to increased need
for expanded facilities in Psychiatric Nursing, the school
contracted Stockton State Hospital in addition to the Veteran's
Administration Hospital in Palo Alto.
From approximately the mid 50's, clinical
facilities remained stable and changes were directed toward
revision of the educational program in accordance with state
and national recommendations. The traditional experience of
assigning students to the Diet Kitchen was deleted and theory
in diet therapy was integrated into all courses throughout
the three-year period. With a qualified Public Health Instructor
on the staff, the school initiated a Home Visit Program and
a part-time librarian was hired.
Curriculum review and revision was an
ongoing activity and recommendations of the National League
for Nursing and the Board of Nursing were incorporated into
all course content and clinical experience.
In 1957, the School discontinued all
stipends and tuition for students was established. The cost
of tuition for a three-year period was $656.00.
In 1958 all students in rehabilitation
nursing transferred from Santa Monica to Kaiser Foundation
Hospital Vallejo and a full-time faculty person was assigned
to this affiliation.
By 1960, there were further consolidation
of student experience and it was decided to discontinue Tuberculosis
and Communicable Disease affiliation at San Francisco City
and County Hospital and to integrate this portion of the curriculum
into the Medical-Surgical program provided at Kaiser Foundation
Hospital Oakland. The program's outpatient department, home
visits and observational visits were integrated at the Veteran's
Administration Hospital in Oakland. The obstetrical nursing
program was also transferred to Oakland from Kaiser Permanente,
San Francisco.
The End of
an Era
During the 60's, the school continued on its excellent path
of curriculum innovation and clinical experiences, always
achieving the highest accolades from accrediting agencies.
Faculty were attracted to the school because of its excellent
academic standing in the state.Student scores in State Board
Examinations consistently ranked in the top three for all
programs -including university schools - in the state of California.
By the mid 60's, it was evident that diploma programs were
on the decline, and that four- and two-year state college
programs were increasing at a rapid rate. A special Committee
of Faculty and Board Member was formed to investigate how
Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing could transition from
a diploma program to a degree granting four-year college.
All efforts to connect with one of the local colleges while
maintaining our identity, as "the Kaiser School of Nursing" were unsuccessful. The National League of Nursing maintained
that we needed to be an integral school within the college
system and could not grant accreditation unless so designated.
It was with sadness and regret that the
school graduated its last and largest class in 1976.
1065 students graduated from the
Kaiser Permanente School of Nursing and have gone on to many
achievements within nursing and other professions. This is
a proud heritage, which we can share with future generations.
In 1953, the name of the Permanente School of Nursing was
changed to Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing and became
an independent institution. With this reorganization, the
school appointed its own Director of Nursing Education. Faculty
was responsible for full time instruction and supervision
of the educational program. At this time, the school also
received full accreditation from the National League for nursing.
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