The Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) is a
not-for-profit community health and care provider with headquarters in
Keswick, a suburb of
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
,
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
.
It was established in 1894 in
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
as the District Trained Nursing Society (DTNS). It was renamed the District and Bush Nursing Society of South Australia in 1937; in 1965 it became the Royal District and Bush Nursing Society of South Australia and in 1973 the Royal District Nursing Society of South Australia. In 1993 its name changed to Royal District Nursing Service of SA.
In 2011 the organisation merged with Silver Chain, and is now known as RDNS in
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
and Silver Chain throughout the rest of Australia.
History
The Royal District Nursing Society of South Australia, initially the District Trained Nursing Society (D.T.N.S.), was inaugurated on 12 July 1894 following 12 months work by a trained nurse in the Adelaide suburb of Bowden. This experiment, which was financed by the philanthropic
Barr Smith and Elder families, had convinced founders, Dr.
Allan Campbell, Rev. B.C. Stephenson and Nightingale nurse Matron
Edith Noble, of the local demand for a district nursing service. Meanwhile, the financial viability of such a venture was being demonstrated by the Pirie Street Nursing Sisters' Association, which was organised by the inner-city
Pirie Street Wesleyan Methodist Church but supported by public donations. Founder Rev. Joseph Berry was on the inaugural committee of the D.T.N.S., although his Pirie Street Nursing Sisters' Association remained independent until 1898.
Subsequently, in 1937, the D.T.N.S. was renamed the District and Bush Nursing Society of S.A. Inc.; in 1965 the 'Royal' prefix was granted and in 1973 'Bush' was removed from the title.
In 1993 its name changed to Royal District Nursing Service of SA.
In September 2011, RDNS merged with the Silver Chain Nursing Association of
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
. Due to the strong history of RDNS within South Australia, the RDNS name and branding continues to be used within that state.
Locations
RDNS provides care within local communities and as such has bases located throughout Adelaide.
See also
*
Royal District Nursing Service (Victoria)
References
External links
RDNS WebsiteRDNS Video
{{Authority control
Nursing organisations in Australia