© irene waters 2015
CQUniversity celebrated International Nurses Day on May 12th, with a reader’s theatre event. Here a group of Nursing, Education and Creative Arts staff and students presented “Courage to Care” a scripted reading, telling of the role Australian Nurses had in the wars. It was a fantastic event and demonstrated without doubt the 6 C’s of Nursing – Care, compassion, Competence, communication, courage and commitment. This period nurses uniform dates through the Boer War and First World Wars. In fact when I started my nursing training we were wearing a very similar uniform minus the removable cuffs and collars. Our capes were longer and long sleeves were being phased out. When I graduated I wore a veil but prior to then a nurses cap with the stripes to denote what year I was in.
Not only was the cape red but also the liner for the tucker basket and red jam on the scones.
© irene waters 2015
These three photos are from the museum in my training hospital. The model with the veil below is the uniform I wore when I graduated.
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
An antiquated cot – the red bulb belongs to a breast pump whilst the other instrument was used to listen to foetal heart sounds.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
The uniforms remind me of those worn by my sister. What an admirable career. I could never be a nurse. I am grateful that there are those who can! Thank you for being one of those. 🙂
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Thank you Norah. Teaching is an equally admirable career. One which I could never do (well not teaching children.) I think for both you need to have a calling / passion. Sadly I think that possibly they are both careers where a percentage of people go for other reasons such as not knowing what else to do. For those with passion though it is very satisfying. 🙂
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I agree. Neither “calling” would work very well without that passion; though we all seem to know some who shouldn’t have chosen the path. Teaching or nursing, or office work, seemed to be the main options for girls when I was young. Now there are so many choices. And now boys can choose nursing! It was unheard of in my day. 🙂
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And unheard of in mine apart from psychiatric nurses. Yes it seemed those were the three common paths but I think those that weren’t suited didn’t stick at it in those days (apart from maybe office work). It seemed to be easier to change your choice in those days. A lot more jobs to be had.
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I think you’re right about more jobs, though I think few people these days stay in the one job for life as many in our generation did. It’s a complex world we live in.
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You are right. They say that each person has on average 5 career changes these days. I guess at least boredom isn’t a problem. It is indeed a complex world we live in.
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Although I have always been involved in education, except for a 10-year stint early this century, three and an half years was about average for each role I had, including my last. I wonder how long I’ll be in my current one. 🙂
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How is it going? Pity I’m not going to the WIP conference at QU this year as we could have had coffee. I think when you are stale it is time to move on — if earning money isn’t a consideration.
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It would be nice to catch up over a cup of coffee! Never mind. I’m sure there’ll be another occasion. We are not that far from each other. 🙂
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One day we definitely will do that. If they can do it in London with a cast of hundreds we should be able to manage 2.
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Sounds like a plan in the making! 🙂
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Definitely a plan.
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Great stuff, Irene ! 🙂
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It was M-R. 🙂
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When I was 7, I had a Halloween costume nurse’s outfit that looked very similar, except my cape was blue. I felt so proud wearing it. I’m not trying to reduce your uniform or profession to a holiday costume, but wanted to share how respected the appearance and work of nurses was. The profession is still highly respected, and now very technical and specific, but but the look is much more casual, at least here in the states.
You must have been a wonderful nurse. Do you miss it? Would love to read more about what you did.
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I don’t think that you are reducing anything. I too had a nurses uniform growing up and then when I joined the red cross we were given a proper uniform. I was so proud marching in the ANZAC parade. I didn’t know the politics of the time where they had tried to stop us from wearing the uniform as we weren’t real nurses. It is much more casual here now also. I feel a little sad about that in a way because it was like wearing your armour. Everyone knew who you were, what your role was and made you somehow non-human. I also like being called nurse or sister for the same reason. It must be really difficult doing some highly personal tasks to someone when they call you as your friends do and you look like a person off the street. Mind you I think I am probably the only person that feels this way.
You have given me an idea for my blog for after I have finished my study. It is at a point where I have to give it more attention than here – where I’d rather be.
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Irene, I’m very flattered to be the inspiration that will muse you along.
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And what a wonderful nurse I just know you made Irene, embodying all these values 🙂 The closest I ever came to wearing a nurse’s uniform was my play outfit as a girl. I particularly loved the cape – blue I think – and the red cross on the front of my white dress. Also the little white, plastic case it came with the stethoscope and fob watch. That was as far as I got 😉
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I had those too. I used to treat all my teddy bears and dolls. They were easier than real live patients. They never died. 🙂
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Haha…always a plus that! Strangely, my teddies always survived too 🙂
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Fascinating, Irene. I can see you in your uniform. The uniforms are not all that different than the ones worn by the WWI nurses in a BBC series called Crimson Fields, set in France during that war. I was astounded at the similarities.
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I would love to see that series Noelle. I don’t know whether it made it out here. We were given one series to watch to then attack from the various different philosophical research angles. I didn’t understand the philosophy too well but I loved the episode and wanted more but have been unable to find it.
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As a student nurse I wore a long blue pure wool cape over my uniform. We stopped wearing hats in my second year. I remember working in the TB ward and the staff nurse was about to tell me off for not wearing my hat but then celebrated by ripping off her hat and throwing on the floor before kicking it the length of the ward. Once I passed all my exams I then got to wear a red cape. They were warm in the winter and so hot in the summer. We had to wear them to and from the nurses home – it was always checked.
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Was that in Austria Raewyn? You felt so proud as you graduated up the ranks of clothing. Thank heavens in most countries TB is a thing of the past. Hopefully they’ll have it under control everywhere before much longer if they haven’t already. Home Sisters were horrendous weren’t they.
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Actually it was in Auckland, Greenlane Hospital in the late 70’s. All the immigrants coming to New Zealand were screened for TB and then were sent to this ward. Our home sisters were very strict. No boys allowed.
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Yes boys were a definite no no. I guess NZ gets cold and you grow a lot of wool there so a wool cape definitely sounds nice and snug.
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What a great glimpse at the evolution of the nursing uniform. I rather like the red cape. But why a veil? Is it practical or symbolic?
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What she said. 🙂 Seriously. Do tell…
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I hope my answer to Charli also appears to you. I think it will.
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I think it is a left over from the Nuns who were generally the ones who nursed in the early days. At the hospital I trained at the size, height and width denoted seniority of the sister. The first day I wore one I got into trouble for making mine too big. I imagine that keeping the hair under control was also a big reason for both caps and veils. My hair certainly needed the restraint. I guess they don’t consider that hair falling in wounds is an issue any longer.
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I suppose with longer hair that was once more of an issue than perhaps it is today. I marveled over the colorful uniforms of the American nurses while with Kate. Lots of unique patterns, but basically pants and a short-sleeved top, hair pulled back if not short. Oh, and blue gloves. Always the gloves.
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Ah… the gloves.
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