WORSLEY, Alta. – For almost 70 years there has been a nursing station at Worsley.
The first nursing station was a log cabin built in 1931 by local residents hoping to attract a nurse to their community.
Local residents provided transportation for the nurse. Later, some nurses used horses to visit clients.
The nurses carried out all kinds of first aid treatment from setting bones to pulling teeth. At times they helped transfer patients to Fairview Hospital, which could take two days depending on the weather and road conditions.
Read Also
Stock dogs show off herding skills at Ag in Motion
Stock dogs draw a crowd at Ag in Motion. Border collies and other herding breeds are well known for the work they do on the farm.
Since the original cabin, three more buildings have been built to house the nursing station.
Here are some excerpts from the minutes of the Worsley Nursing Society over the years:
January 1946 – The nurse’s cottage is well supplied with linens, dishes and furniture. The nearest store is 2.5 miles away and Hines Creek is the nearest shopping centre. The nearest large town is Peace River; the closest doctor and hospital are in Fairview and the nearest telephone is at Hines Creek. The mailman and Northern Alberta Railway provide transportation. There is no electricity, and water is supplied by stream or snow. The fuel supply is well kept up.
October 1946 – Materials for the new cottage are available in the district and were to be gathered at the new site immediately. … A box social brought in $150 and a tea raised $19 for the cottage.
January 1958 – A general meeting is to be held soon to decide whether to build a new house or not. The old one is not suitable to build onto as there is no proper basement. Also – there is water in the basement, the house is cold in winter, the office is too small, the waiting room is too small, the cottage is too close to the road as the highway is to be broadened in the future and there is no place for a bathroom to be built adequately. The committee has been advised of their responsibilities as a society.
