The Northern District School of Nursing opened in 1950 to address the issues around nurse recruitment, training and education that had previously been hospital based. The residential school was to provide theoretical and in-house education and practical training over three years. The students would also receive practical hands-on training in the wards of associated hospitals. The Northern District School of Nursing operated from Lister House, Rowan Street, Bendigo. It was the first independent school of nursing in Victoria and continued until it closed in 1989.P.T.S. Training school 54 and 59 in dining room at Lister House. 25/4/1962 Black and white photographs; one small and an enlargement copy. On Rear of photo is written: Northern District School of Nursing Staff dining room. School 58 P.T.S. 25/4/1962 and School 59 - Front Table L. Letcher PTS 59 and E. Cameron PTS 54 nurse training, ndsn, lister house, school 54, lister house dining room, school 59

Royal Australian Army Nursing Corpsplaque, army

Distributed to nurses during campaigning for improved wages and working conditions in the 1980s, possibly during the historic 1986 Victorian 50-day nurses strike. 'Charge Nurse' refers to a Nurse Manager, and is less commonly used in Australia presently (it is still widely used in North America). The badge's message aims to inform the public that highly experienced and skilled nurses are leaving the profession due to inadequate wages and poor working conditions. The Royal Australian Nursing Federation (RANF) became the Australian Nursing Federation in 1989, suggesting that this button is from the late 1980s. Similar to the badges worn in this photo [https://stories.anmfvic.asn.au/86strike/media/2560-1440-landscape-sec2-contentb-hr_logwf7a.jpg] from 1986 (see individual on the far right).Circular white and blue plastic badge. Silver metal, plastic-coated, with safety pin fastener adhered to back. Badge printed with 'I used to be a Charge Nurse' and 'R.A.N.F. [Royal Australian Nursing Federation] Vic. [Victorian] Branch'.nursing, nurses, industrial action, strike action, unionism, trade unions, badges, buttons, pins, campaigning, 1986 victorian nurses strike, labour history, royal australian nursing federation, victoria, australia

Sister Ford is based at Moorabbin Centre and is visiting a patient in her home to give her nursing care. Sr. Ford's uniform coat was of blue/grey herringbone winter material and the RDNS curved insignia is attached to her upper left sleeve, It has a royal blue background edged in white and the words "Royal District Nursing Service" written in white capital letters.The Trained nurses (Nurses) of the Melbourne District Nursing Society (MDNS), later known as Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS), visited patients in their home and gave best practice care in many fields of nursing, and to people of many cultures, throughout its 130 years of expansion. Initial visits not only assessed the specific nursing situation but the situation as a whole. Their patients ranged in age from babes, children, adults to the elderly and referrals were taken from Hospitals, General Practitioners and allied Health facilities. Some of the care their Trained nurses (Sisters) provided is as follows: – Post-Natal care given to mother and babe, Wound Care following various types of surgery, accidents, burns, cancer, leg ulcers etc. Supervising and teaching Diabetic Care, including teaching and supervising people with Diabetes to administer their own Insulin, and administering Insulin to those unable to give their own injections. Administering other injections and setting up weekly medication boxes. The Sisters performed Catheterizations on adults suffering from conditions such as Quadriplegia, Paraplegia, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and Guillan-Barre Syndrome, and when required at school on children for e.g. those with Spina Bifida. The Sisters visited those requiring Cystic Fibrosis support and care; those requiring Haemo-Oncology care, including visiting children at school; those requiring Home Enteral Feeding care, and those requiring IV therapy at home and home Dialysis. Palliative Care was given including pain relief with the use of syringe drivers, personal care as needed, and advice and support to both patient and family. The Sisters provided Stoma management to those needing Urostomy, Ileostomy and Colostomy care and those requiring Continence care. HIV/AIDS nursing care was provided; visits to Homeless Persons were made. Personal care was given to patients ranging in age and with varying mobility problems, such as those with MS, MND, Guillan-Barre Syndrome, Poliomyelitis, Quadriplegia, Paraplegia, Acquired Brain Injury, to those following a Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke), those with severe Arthritis and those with a form of Dementia. When necessary the elderly were assisted with personal care and advice given on safety factors with the use of hand rails, bath or shower seats, and hand showers. Rehabilitation with an aim towards independence remained at the forefront of the Sister’s minds and when possible using aids and instruction on safe techniques enabled the person to become fully independent. All care included giving advice and support to the patient and their Carers. The Sisters liaised with the persons Doctor, Hospital and allied Health personal when necessary.Black and white photograph showing Royal District Nursing Service,(RDNS), Sister H. Ford, who has long dark hair drawn back and is wearing her RDNS winter uniform grey coat with RDNS insignia on the upper sleeve, standing in front of the opened wire door on the veranda of a patient's home. She has her right hand resting on the door frame and she is holding the black handle on the top of her black oblong nursing case in her left hand. To her left is the partially opened white wooden door with upper glass area, with the partial view of a lady seen in the opening. The lady has dark short hair; is wearing glasses and a light coloured frock and cardigan. The white wooden boards of the house can be seen. Photographer stamp. Quote No. KY 60royal district nursing service, rdns, rdns patient care, sister h. ford, rdns centre

The Northern District School of Nursing opened in 1950 to address the issues around nurse recruitment, training and education that had previously been hospital based. The residential school was to provide theoretical and in-house education and practical training over three years. The students would also receive practical hands-on training in the wards of associated hospitals. The Northern District School of Nursing operated from Lister House, Rowan Street, Bendigo. It was the first independent school of nursing in Victoria and continued until it closed in 1989.Schools 47 and 48 in Dining room at Lister House. 25/4/1962 Black and white photographs; possibly the open day of the new dining room. Nurses are in full uniform with capes and caps. On Rear of photo is written: Northern District School of Nursing Staff dining room, 1962/63 Schools 47 and 48. On the extreme left are: Margot Scott (Ass. Dean Education), ?, Miss Long nurse training, ndsn, lister house, lister house dining room, school 47, school 48

Part of a series entitled “Optical Munitions - School of Natural Philosophy, 1942-1945”. Black and white photo showing Rogers and Hercus examining equipiment.In ink on lower left hand corner : “15”.

Miss Evans, the Director of Nursing of Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) is holding a meeting with some RDNS Sisters in a room at RDNS Headquarters, 452 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne. Mary Evans was born in Adelaide in 1915. She completed her General Nursing Training at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and her Midwifery Certificate at the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital in Melbourne. Mary worked in the Midwifery section of Melbourne District Nursing Society from 1943–1945, and then qualified as a Maternal and Child Health Nurse. Gaining a Scholarship from MDNS in 1959, she studied and investigated District Nursing practices in England, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Canada and the USA, which had a profound impact on the planning of MDNS. As Deputy Matron, then Matron from 1963, she began implementing her 5 point plan of - Education, Liaison, Ancillary Services, MDNS Centres in strategic areas and Home Health Aides. Miss Mary Evans retired as Director of Nursing of, the now, Royal District Nursing Service in 1978 and became an adviser to the Australian Council of Community Nursing Services. In 1981 she was awarded an O.B.E. for services to District Nursing, and as recognition for her leading role in Community nursing in Australia. From 1986-1990 she was heavily involved in the running of the Baxter Retirement Village. She was also Vice President of the Airdrie Retirement place for nurses in Canterbury. Mary Evans was placed on the Honour Roll of Victorian Women in 2001. Miss Mary Evan, O.B.E. died in early 2004.Black and white photograph of Miss Mary Evans, Director of Nursing of the Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS), with a group of RDNS staff. Miss Evans is sitting in a floral patterned lounge chair on the far right hand side. The other staff are sitting in a semi-circle in matching lounge chairs and couches. In attendance are Sisters: P. Holdsworth, B. Harris, E. Holland, M. Campbell, H. Beckett, J. Wilkinson, J. Tarn, E. Anderson. Some are partly hidden. Miss Evans has short dark curled hair and is wearing her grey uniform skirt and jacket. The rdns insignia can be seen on her upper left sleeve. The Sisters are wearing their grey short sleeve uniform frocks; some are wearing cardigans. The RDNS Insignia can be seen on the upper sleeve of some Sisters. A small round table with papers on it, sits beside Miss Evans and a rectangular coffee table in front of some of the Sisters. A plain carpet is on the floor and in the background two windows with long side curtains can be seen.Photographer Stamp. Quote No. 5 Aroyal district nursing service, rdns, rdns matron, miss mary evans, sister pat holdsworth, sister betty harris, sister e. holland, sister m. campbell, sister h. beckett, sister joanne wilkinson, sister joan tarn, sister ellen anderson

This photograph depicts a Royal District Nursing Service, (RDNS), Sister administering an injection, which has been ordered by a Doctor, into the left arm of a gentleman who is sitting in a wheelchair in his home. This photograph depicts one of the types of nursing care given by the trained nurses working at RDNS in the late 1960s. The syringe being used is a disposable type which came into use in the middle 1960s.The Trained nurses of the Melbourne District Nursing Society (MDNS), later known as Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS), visited patients in their home and gave best practice care in many fields of nursing, and to people of many cultures, throughout its 130 years of expansion. Initial visits not only assessed the specific nursing situation but the situation as a whole. Their patients ranged in age from babes, children, adults to the elderly and referrals were taken from Hospitals, General Practitioners and allied Health facilities. Some of the care the Sisters provided is as follows: – Post-Natal care given to mother and babe, Wound Care following various types of surgery, accidents, burns, cancer, leg ulcers etc. Supervising and teaching Diabetic Care, including teaching and supervising people with Diabetes to administer their own Insulin, and administering Insulin to those unable to give their own injections. Administering other injections and setting up weekly medication boxes. The Sisters performed Catheterizations on adults suffering from conditions such as Quadriplegia, Paraplegia, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and Guillan-Barre Syndrome, and when required at school on children for e.g. those with Spina Bifida. The Sisters visited those requiring Cystic Fibrosis support and care; those requiring Haemo-Oncology care, including visiting children at school; those requiring Home Enteral Feeding care, and those requiring IV therapy at home and home Dialysis. Palliative Care was given including pain relief with the use of syringe drivers, personal care as needed, and advice and support to both patient and family. The Sisters provided Stoma management to those needing Urostomy, Ileostomy and Colostomy care and those requiring Continence care. HIV/AIDS nursing care was provided; visits to Homeless Persons were made. Personal care was given to patients ranging in age and with varying mobility problems, such as those with MS, MND, Guillan-Barre Syndrome, Quadriplegia, Paraplegia, Acquired Brain Injury, to those following a Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke), those with severe Arthritis and those with a form of Dementia. When necessary the elderly were assisted with personal care and advice given on safety factors with the use of hand rails, bath or shower seats, and hand showers. Rehabilitation with an aim towards independence remained at the forefront of the Sister’s minds and when possible using aids and instruction on safe techniques enabled the person to become fully independent. All care included giving advice and support to the patient and their Carers. The Sisters liaised with the persons Doctor, Hospital and allied Health personal when necessary.To the right in the black and white photograph is a Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS), Sister who is wearing a white gown over her uniform frock, and wearing a peaked grey uniform hat and black shoes. She is standing side-on facing a man on her left who is sitting in a wheelchair. She is holding the barrel of a syringe in her right hand and has her left hand on the end of the plunger of the syringe; the needle of the syringe is in the left upper arm of a gentleman. He is on the left of the photograph and has short dark hair; is wearing dark trousers and a dark patterned shirt and is watching as the Sister gives the injection. A white towel is draped over part of his left arm,. A small table, with nursing equipment on the top, stands beside the wheelchair and in front of the Sister.Photographers stamp and the word 'Publicity'rdns, royal district nursing service, rdns treatment - injection

The Matron and Sisters in this photograph worked in the Melbourne District Nursing Society After Care Home, (later called Hospital) full time and administered nursing care to patients who ranged in age from babes to adults. The Society also had a District Nursing division and these Sisters only worked in the community giving nursing care to patients in their homes.The Melbourne District Nursing Society were pioneers in recognizing the need for premises where patients too ill to be in their own home, but not ill enough to go to hospital, was needed, and the Society built, then opened, the After-Care Home in 1926, (from 1934 called After-Care Hospital), for these patients, and patients from Hospitals. Many children were nursed there, some long term during the Polio epidemic and the Society employed two School Teachers. The Society now ran two divisions, the After-Care with its own Sisters and nurses, and the District division. The Society were the first in Melbourne, in early 1928, to recognize some patients leaving the After-Care, and many at home, needed further social care and they set up ‘Almoners’ from their committee to visit these patients and be intermediaries in getting them social assistance. It was late the following year before the first training of Almoners took place in Melbourne. In 1930 the Society employed a full time kindergarten teacher to visit poor children in their homes. That year the Society were pioneers in opening an Ante-Natal Clinic at the After-Care, setting a high standard with equipment, keeping records, and providing leaflets with instructions in how to keep healthy during pregnancy, what complications to look for and what to do when labour commenced. In 1934 the Society were pioneers again when they opened the first Women’s Welfare Clinic in Melbourne giving advice on birth-control, at first attended by their own patients, but then accepting patients from public hospitals until their own clinics were opened. A trained Almoner was employed by the Society in 1934, doing a great deal of work with Midwifery patients, but she resigned after twelve months due to the amount of work. Due to a lack of trained Almoners, the Society employed a Social Service Officer at the After-Care who successfully gained better housing from the Housing Commission for families living under unsuitable conditions.A black and white photograph of Matron and twelve Trained nurses (Sisters) standing at the front entrance of the Melbourne District Nursing Society After Care Home, In the front of the portico is the Matron and four Sisters. Matron is dressed in a white long uniform dress and white veil over her short dark hair, and is wearing white stockings and white shores. To her right are four Sisters. Behind them are five Sisters, one standing between the left pair of round columns of the portico and the others to her right finishing just before the second set of columns. Two Sisters are to the left of the left hand column in front of the brick wall of the building. A short brick wall runs from the column to the building and hides the lower half of these Sisters. All the Sisters are dressed with white long aprons with white belts, which are covering their uniforms, only their dark grey sleeves and white collars can be seen. They are wearing white veils covering most of their short dark hair, grey stockings and black shoes. At the top of the portico can be seen the words 'District Nursing Society'. Part of the two story brick building can be seen behind the group; two long windows are visible on the upper and lower sections. To the right of the building some shrubs and a tree can be seen.nurses, after care hospital, uniforms, after-care home, melbourne district nursing society, mdns, rdns, royal district nursing service

Distributed to Australian Nursing Federation members during bargaining for public sector nurse to patient ratios. During this period ratios were secured as part of bargaining negotiations between unions and employer groups. After decades of campaigning from the ANF, ratios were legislated for the public sector in Victoria with the passing of the Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient) Bill in 2015.Circular red, white and blue plastic badge. Silver metal, plastic-coated, with safety pin fastener adhered to back. Badge printed with 'nurse patient ratios: HERE TO STAY!' and the Australian Nursing Federation logo.nursing, ratios, workforce, staffing, nurses, unionism, badges, buttons, pins, campaigning, trade unions, labour history, safe patient care (nurse to patient and midwife to patient ratios) act 2015

Metal brooch with pin fastener.Face: "PSYCHIATRIC NURSING"nurse badges, psychiatric nursing, mental health service

The Northern District School of Nursing opened in 1950 in to address the issues around nurse recruitment, training and education that had previously been hospital based. The residential school was to provide theoretical and in-house education and practical training over three years. The students would also receive practical hands-on training in the wards of associated hospitals. The Northern District School of Nursing operated from Lister House, Rowan Street, Bendigo. It was the first independent school of nursing in Victoria and continued until it closed in 1989. The book "The First of its Kind" was published in 2015. Printed in Bendigo by "Bendigo Modern Press". Memories compiled by Peter Rosewall; who attended the last NDSN school PTS 108 between 1986 - 89.A two-page typed document by Gwenyth.H.Williams , the Executive Officer of Nursing Services at the Hospitals and Charities Commission, about the Recruitment of Nurses in Victoria. The document is accompanied by an article from 'The Age' on 16th July 1949, entitled 'Bursaries to Help Nurse Recruiting'. The article states that Victoria is short 5000 nurses and mentions Training Schools and the recruitment of male nurses. nursing, nurse training, post-war nursing, hospitals and charities commission, gwenyth.h.williams

Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS), Sister Meisser is visiting Mrs. Lata to attend to the nursing care she requires in her home. She is greeting Mrs. Lata on her veranda and is observing her interaction with her dog. Sr. Meisser is wearing her RDNS uniform of a grey cotton short sleeve frock with a small white arched material logo with 'Royal District Nursing Service' in blue capital letters emblazoned on it, attached to the upper sleeve. She is wearing her grey peaked hat. This had a metal RDNS logo attached to the centre front. Sister Meisser worked from the RDNS Moorabbin centre.From its earliest years when the Trained nurses of the Melbourne District Nursing Society (MDNS) began to wear uniforms, the chosen colour was grey, though the style changed throughout the years as fashions changed from the late 1800s through to the 1970s. Their Trained nurses (Nurses) firstly wore long grey frocks and a white cap with a long white tail hanging from the centre back. When bicycles were introduced the headgear changed to a white pith helmet adorned with a red Maltese cross in the centre front. This was held on with a veil going over the hat and tied under the chin. Over the years there were complaints that the veils became wet in the rain and they asked for a change of uniform, but this did not happen until 1921. Later the Nurses complained their skirts became wet when riding their bicycles in the rain and asked, when raining, to be able to wear breeches and gaiters. This was granted provided they wore aprons when attending patients. It was not long before the uniform changed to a shorter length grey frock, red cardigan, grey coat and grey brimmed hat; later changed to a peaked grey hat. This uniform was used when MDNS was granted Royal patronage in 1966 and worn until 1971 when the uniform changed to a blue V necked frock over a short sleeve white blouse in summer and a blue/grey skivvie under a blue/grey herringbone V neck tunic style frock made of winter material in the cooler weather. Black and white photograph of Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS), Sister Meisser, of Moorabbin Centre. She is standing on the left of the photograph; has short dark hair and is wearing her grey uniform with peaked hat and black shoes, and is holding her rectangular nursing case. She is standing on the veranda of Mrs. Lata's brick home, and is smiling as she observes, to her right, Mrs. Lata, who has grey curly hair and is wearing a light coloured floral frock. Mrs. Lata is sitting in her wheelchair and with her left hand is patting her pale coloured Labrador dog who has a dark collar and is sitting to her right. Mrs. Lata is in front of her security door which has a white door frame. The house has a white lantern shaped light attached to the wall on the left hand side of the photographPhotographer's stamp and the word 'Publicity'royal district nursing service, rdns, rdns uniform, moorabbin centre, mrs lata, sister m. meisser

HAT and Collar Badges. RAA Nursing Corpsbadge/buttons, army

Part of collection of hand and wheel pottery by Mrs. Annette Lord - 1953. Bisque fired.Pottery girl seated nursing doll. White.pottery

Book has a red white and Malaya 1941, Nursing Sisters of cover, tile printed in white and author's name printed in black on front cover. On the front cover is a coloured black and white photograph "Malaya 1941, Nursing Sisters of 2/4 Clearing Station, 8 Division. Title and author's name also printed in white on spine. The back cover has a summary of the booknon-fictionn 1942 a group of sixty-five Australian Army nursing sisters was evacuated from Malaya aboard the Vyner Brooke, a few days before the fall of Singapore. Two days later their ship was bombed and sunk by the Japanese. Of the fifty-three survivors who scrambled ashore, twenty-one were murdered and the remaining thirty-two were taken prisoner. The book is the engrossing record kept by one of the sisters, Betty Jeffrey, during the three grueling years of imprisonment that followed. It is an amazing story of survival and deprivation in the harshest of conditions.world war 1939-1945 prisoners of war, nurses

Distributed to nurses who took part in campaigning for improved wages and working conditions in the 1980s, particularly those involved in the historic 1986 Victorian 50-day nurses strike. In October 1986, Victorian nurses began their longest strike after the failure of repeated talks with the health minister David White who was committed to reducing the classification and pay of almost half of Victoria’s nurses. Skeleton staff were left in the wards while picket lines, tents and caravans were set up outside hospitals in both metropolitan and regional Victoria. After 50 days of industrial action, Victorian nurses voted to return to work on 20 December 1986. The Royal Australian Nursing Federation (RANF) became the Australian Nursing Federation in 1989, and the strike concluded in December 1986, suggesting this badge was produced sometime between 1987 and 1989.Circular red and white plastic badge. Silver metal, plastic-coated, with safety pin fastener adhered to back. Badge printed with 'I FOUGHT NURSES STRIKE 1986' and 'R.A.N.F. [Royal Australian Nursing Federation] Vic. [Victorian] Branch'.nursing, nurses, industrial action, strike action, unionism, badges, buttons, pins, campaigning, 1986 victorian nurses strike, trade unions, labour history, royal australian nursing federation

The Northern District School of Nursing opened in 1950 in to address the issues around nurse recruitment, training and education that had previously been hospital based. The residential school was to provide theoretical and in-house education and practical training over three years. The students would also receive practical hands-on training in the wards of associated hospitals. The Northern District School of Nursing operated from Lister House, Rowan Street, Bendigo. It was the first independent school of nursing in Victoria and continued until it closed in 1989. The book "The First of its Kind" was published in 2015. Printed in Bendigo by "Bendigo Modern Press". Memories compiled by Peter Rosewall; who attended the last NDSN school PTS 108 between 1986 - 89.Two printed pages from Leigh Kinsman who was a male nurse in a mostly female occupation. This is his response to a questionnaire about why he chose nursing as an occupation. The first page is an introduction and a list of questions to be answered. The second page has his answers to the questions. He was in School 96 in 1980. He ended up working in rural health.Two pages which were addressed to Jenny Clutterbuck.nursing, student nurses, ndsn, male nurses in training

The Northern District School of Nursing opened in 1950 in to address the issues around nurse recruitment, training and education that had previously been hospital based. The residential school was to provide theoretical and in-house education and practical training over three years. The students would also receive practical hands-on training in the wards of associated hospitals. The Northern District School of Nursing operated from Lister House, Rowan Street, Bendigo. It was the first independent school of nursing in Victoria and continued until it closed in 1989. The book "The First of its Kind" was published in 2015. Printed in Bendigo by "Bendigo Modern Press". Memories compiled by Peter Rosewall; who attended the last NDSN school PTS 108 between 1986 - 89.Four documents published in 1944 relating to the training of student nurses in Victoria based on memorandums prepared by The Royal College of Nursing and the British Hospital Association. The documents provide a report on the current training of nurses in Victoria, a list of equipment required by training schools and advice by The Sister Tutor Section on the establishment of Central Preliminary Training Schools. The documents are photocopies of the originals and are typewritten.nursing, at lister house., nurse training, sister tutor section, royal college of nursing

Button distributed to and worn amongst Australian Nursing Federation members employed at Western Hospital (now Footscray Hospital). Possibly worn only by delegates/union representatives at this workplace, and/or celebrating 45 years of the Western Hospital (this occurred in 1998). The Western Hospital changed its name to Footscray Hospital in July 2014 and is located at 160 Gordon St, Footscray, Victoria, Australia.Circular orange/red badge with blue writing and logo. Silver metal, plastic-coated, with safety pin fastener adhered to back. Badge printed with 'ANF at the Western Hospital' the number '45' and the ANF [Australian Nursing Federation] logo.nursing, nurses, badges, buttons, pins, western hospital, western health, footscray hospital, melbourne, victoria

Distributed to nurses during campaigning for improved wages and working conditions in the 1980s, possibly during the historic 1986 Victorian 50-day nurses strike. In October 1986, Victorian nurses began their longest strike after the failure of repeated talks with the health minister David White who was committed to reducing the classification and pay of almost half of Victoria’s nurses. Skeleton staff were left in the wards while picket lines, tents and caravans were set up outside hospitals in both metropolitan and regional Victoria. After 50 days of industrial action, Victorian nurses voted to return to work on 20 December 1986. The Royal Australian Nursing Federation (RANF) became the Australian Nursing Federation in 1989, suggesting that this button is from the late 1980s. Similar to the badges worn in this photo [https://stories.anmfvic.asn.au/86strike/media/2560-1440-landscape-sec2-contentb-hr_logwf7a.jpg] from 1986 (see individual on the far right).This badge is of historic significance as it represents nurses' struggle for industrial and professional status. This struggle was made particularly visible through the 1986 Victorian nurses' strike, which had great impact on the way Australian society viewed nurses and working women (Bessant, 1992).Circular white and red plastic badge. Silver metal, plastic-coated, with safety pin fastener adhered to back. Badge printed with 'Nurses DO dare to Struggle' and 'R.A.N.F. [Royal Australian Nursing Federation] Vic. [Victorian] Branch'.nursing, nurses, industrial action, strike action, unionism, trade unions, badges, buttons, pins, campaigning, 1986 victorian nurses strike, labour history, royal australian nursing federation, victoria, australia

Distributed to nurses during campaigning for improved wages and working conditions in the 1980s, possibly during the historic 1986 Victorian 50-day nurses strike. The Royal Australian Nursing Federation (RANF) became the Australian Nursing Federation in 1989, suggesting that this button is from the late 1980s. Similar to the badges worn in this photo [https://stories.anmfvic.asn.au/86strike/media/2560-1440-landscape-sec2-contentb-hr_logwf7a.jpg] from 1986 (see individual on the far right). (Unknown) former owner of badge has written a 'DE' and 'd' with black permanent marker on the badge to spell 'Don't ask me, I'm a degraded nurse'.Circular white and blue plastic badge, customised with black permanent marker. Silver metal, plastic-coated, with safety pin fastener adhered to back. Badge printed with 'Don't ask me, I'm a Grade 1 nurse' and 'R.A.N.F. [Royal Australian Nursing Federation] Vic. [Victorian] Branch'.Former owner of badge has written a 'DE' and 'd' with black permanent marker on the badge to spell 'Don't ask me, I'm a degraded nurse'.nursing, industrial action, nurses, strike action, unionism, badges, buttons, pins, campaigning, 1986 victorian nurses strike, trade unions, labour history