On April 8 1915 the first fifty New Zealand Army Nursing Service (NZANS) nurses to serve in the First World War sailed from Wellington. To celebrate the event we are highlighting some other records associated with the history of nursing in New Zealand. The images presented this week in relation to nursing have all come from a collection of records transferred to Archives New Zealand by the School of Advanced Nursing Studies (SANS)

The need for increased educational opportunities for nurses was recognised in 1923 by the first director of Nursing, Department of Health, Miss J. Bicknell, who, influenced by developments overseas, considered that similar opportunities should be available in New Zealand to prepare nurses for administrative and teaching responsibilities in the hospital and public health nursing services. She presented her views to a conference of the New Zealand Registered Nurses' Association, from which a strong recommendation was forwarded to the Government asking for the establishment of a school of nursing in conjunction with the University of New Zealand. This School was commenced in 1925 offering a five-year diploma programme. The students registered at the University of Otago for two years and then spent three years at a hospital. This course was discontinued in 1926 due to lack of finance. A school for post-graduate nursing study was established in 1928 within the Wellington Hospital complex. The school was guided by a Committee of Management, which had representatives from Victoria University of Wellington, the Department of Health and Wellington Hospital Board. The school later become known as the New Zealand Post-Graduate School for Nurses and initially offered a six-month course. Courses were conducted by the Department of Health, Victoria University College, Wellington Hospital and the Royal Sanitary Institute of Great Britain. In 1940 Wellington Teachers’ Training College also participated in lectures at the school. In 1952 the length of the course was extended to nine months. In 1970 the school changed its name to the New Zealand School of Advanced Nursing Studies. In 1972 the School’s Management Committee was disbanded and reconstructed as the Advisory Committee to the School. The Advisory Committee had representatives from the New Zealand Registered Nurses Association plus the Department of Health, the Hospital Boards and Victoria University of Wellington. During the 1970s the curriculum was revised to meet the many changes in the nursing environment. The date of the school’s disestablishment is not known, but is estimated to be around 1979. These photographs dated 1906-1923 depict Hester MacLean during the period when she was Assistant Inspector of Hospitals for New Zealand. MacLean was also Matron in Chief of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service, established in 1915, and in April of that year she escorted the first 50 nurses on their journey to Egypt via England. In 1917 MacLean was awarded the Royal Red Cross (first class) for her work. During the influenza pandemic of 1918 and 1919 MacLean acted as New Zealand’s Chief Health Officer, and in 1920 was appointed Director of the Division of Nursing for the newly created Department of Health. In the same year MacLean was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal. The nursing journal Kai Tiaki was owned and published by MacLean from 1908 until 1923, and she continued as its editor until her death in 1932.

Archives Reference: ADEU 16391 SANS22 1/1 www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=13235353

For further details read:

www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3m25/maclean-hester

For any enquiries please email Research.Archives@dia.govt.nz