John
Robert
(Bob)
Burns
arrived
at
the
Selkirk
Mental
Hospital
in
1960
to
become
the
Nurse
Tutor
at
the
hospital’s
School
of
Nursing.
Bob
completed
his
general
nurse
training
at
the
prestigious
Queen
Elizabeth
Hospital
in
Birmingham,
UK
and
his
psychiatric nursing at Hollymoor Psychiatric Hospital.
He
soon
became
head
of
the
school
and
was
the
initiator
of
the
curriculum
revision
which
would
be
utilised
by
all
the
three
schools
of
psychiatric
nursing
at
Brandon,
Portage
and
Selkirk.
Bob
also
ensured
that
the
final
examination
was
the
same
for
all
graduates in order to obtain registration as a Psychiatric Nurse.
In
1963
Bob
was
appointed
the
Director
of
Nursing
services
for
the
hospital.
This
was
a
new
appointment
as
previously
there
was
a
Chief
Male
Nurse
and
a
Matron.
Bob’s
new
position
consolidated
the
nursing
services
under
one
central
control.
In
1965,
he
was
proud
to
be
the
initiator
in
preparing
the
hospital
to
become
the
first
mental
hospital
in
Canada
to
receive
accreditation.
During
this
time
he
also
studied
at
the
University
of
Manitoba
and
obtained
his
hospital
administrator
certification.
In
1972
Bob
took
a
position
as
Interlake
Regional
Director
of
Health
and
Social
Development.
He
travelled
the
Interlake
extensively
and
valued
the
many
kindnesses extended to him by the people of the area.
The
last
position
Bob
held
before
retiring,
was
Chief
Program
Consultant.
Bob
was
an
active
member
of
the
Kiwanis
in
Selkirk
and
in
1966
he
and
other
members
began
the
process
of
forming
the
Selkirk
Kiwanis
Pipe
Band.
The
band
played
for
the first time at the Canada Centennial parade in 1967.
Bob
also
suggested
and
organized
the
Manitoba
Highland
Gathering
where
he,
many
staff
members
from
the
Selkirk
Mental
Hospital,
and
parents
of
the
pipe
band
volunteered
their
help
to
run
the
Highland
Gathering
each
year.
One
year
after
retirement,
Bob
took
on
the
new
challenge
of
becoming
Director
of
Skills
Manufacturing.
He
devoted
his
time
and
energy
to
proving
that
the
facility
could
run
profitably
while
those
who
had
recovered
from
mental
illness
could
retrain
and
work in the community successfully.
He
initiated
many
changes
within
the
nursing
and
education
services
and
as
a
consequence,
not
everyone
was
in
favour
of
his
“new
broom”
approach.
However,
he
persevered
and
laid
the
foundation
for
many
new
developments
including
the
concept of community psychiatric clinics.
John Burns, SRN, RMN
