Fonds aarn-2224 - Helen (Garfield) Sabin fonds

Helen Sabin and her twin sister Nettie obtained their BScN degrees from the University of Alberta in 1938. Both went into public health nursing after graduation. Ms Sabin was employed by the Public Health Nursing Branch of the Alberta Department of Public Health from 1938 to 1956, and was stationed at Alder Flats/Pendryl. As the district nurse she was an important part of the community, responsible for pre-natal-to-death care for every family in the area. When the Public Health Nursing service was disbanded in [1956], Ms Sabin worked in the Provincial Venereal Disease Clinic, Calgary, as Nurse-in-Charge; she returned to Edmonton to be a Clinical Instructor at the University of Alberta, and to work for the University Hospital's Outdoor Clinic. In 1960 she was employed with the City of Edmonton School Health Program when she accepted the position of Executive Director of the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses. During her appointment Ms Sabin was involved in guiding the restructuring of the Association and in overseeing legislative changes that affected registered nurses. She served on the Board of the Canadian Nurses Association and as a consultant to the Northwest Territories Registered Nurses Association. During her tenure Tony Cashman was commissioned to write the 50th anniversary history of the Association, and the Archives and Museum was formed. She was named an Honourary Member of the AARN in 1977, and retired from her nursing career in 1978. Ms Sabin received an Honourary Doctorate from Athabasca University in 1993.