Historical information

At graduation, nurses were presented with the St Vincent's Hospital badge by a Sister of Charity Superior or Mother Rectress. The badge certified that nurses could now practice as a qualified nursing sister.

Physical description

Metal three coloured blue badge with cutout.

Inscriptions & markings

The St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne Nurses' Graduation Badge has an outer darker blue border with "Caritas Christi Urget Nos" written in gold capitals on the bottom edge. The meaning is "The love of Christ urges us on". Within, there is a cut-out gold Crown of Mary, or Our Lady, the Patroness for the Sisters of Charity. There is a lighter blue banner containing the Heart of Charity, the Anchor of Hope and the Cross of Faith, all the symbols of nurses working under the guidance of the Sisters of Charity