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Nurse Katherine Olive Cass completed her general nursing training at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne. Badge 1 is a graduation badge presented to nurses after three years of lectures, clinical work, supervision and examinations, both internal and State Nurses' Board. Badge 2 is a Royal Victorian Nurses Association badge, given to Nurse Olive Cass by an older patient in appreciation of her nursing whilst she was an inpatient.

Badge 1. The St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne nurses' graduation gold badge has an outer darker blue border with "Caritas Christi Urget Nos" written in gold capital writing. The meaning is "the love of Christ urges us on". Within, there is a 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 symbols of nurses working under the guidance of the Sisters of Charity. Engraved name K Olive Cass on the back. The badge has a gold safety chain. Badge 2: The Royal Victorian Trained Nurse Association is a round gold badge with an outer white border. It states R.V.T.N.A TOUT BIEN OU RIEN, a French expression translating everything well or nothing. The centre of the badge has a lion and a horse holding further emblems within. The back of the badge is engraved name in capitals "Miss E Glover Honorary Secretary 1901-1908 in appreciation".

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The Nurses Board of Victoria became responsible for the registration of midwives in 1929 following the passing of the Midwives Act 1928. Katherine Olive Cass completed her general nurse training at St Vincents Hospital Melbourne in 1943 and then her midwifery training at St Vincent's Maternity Hospital Melbourne in 1945.

Typed Certificate.

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Following her general nurse training at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Nurse Katherine Olive Cass received instruction in the special work of the midwifery department for a period of nine months. After examination Katherine was found competent to discharge the duties of an obstetrical nurse.

The certificate is signed by Mother Rectress Mary Devine, lecturers, secretary and nurse K. Olive Cass.

katherine olive cass, midwifery training, st vincent's maternity hospital melbourne., mary devine

Katherine Olive Cass completed her nursing training at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne in 1944. The Nurses Board was established in 1924 and became responsible for the registration and regulation of general nursing.

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The certificate folder was presented to St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne nurses on graduation. It is signed by M M Considine, Mother Rectress and Honorary Lecturers, the Medical Superintendent and the graduationg nurse, K Olive Cass.

The first page is a sketch of the Healy Wing of St Vincents Hospital depicting the training school for nurses. The second page certifies that Olive K Cass has received training for three years and has attended the prescribed course of lectures and has passed the prescribed examinations. Olive K Cass is now qualified to act as a trained General Nurse.

olive k cass, st vincent's hospital melbourne, nurse training, mother mary considine, james j hayden mrcog.frcs, hacooley frcs, gerald doyle mrcp, fj witherington medical superintendent

Mother Mary Josephine has written a very favourable reference and has wished Olive Cass the best of success. This reference would have been used for Olive's application to commence her nurse training in 1940 at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne.

Script hand writing in black ink.

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Handwritten on the bottom of the page is" Specially drawn for Margaret by R.P.G Bingham".

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All United Kingdom employers were required in the 1950's to have a National Insurance Card to which a stamp confirming each contribution by an employee was affixed. Margaret Slattery required this card in order to work in the UK.

The card has a written number, name, address and signature of employee identified, the second and third page have national insurance stamps attached which cost 10 shillings and 5 pence each.

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Margaret Slattery completed her general nurse training at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne in 1947 and her midwifery training at Royal Women's Hospital circa 1950. Following that she travelled and nursed in the UK and then began a nurse exchange program through the International Nursing Council, The Australian Nurses Federation and the American Trained Nurses Association Exchange Program in 1955.

The England and Wales nursing certificate booklet has an indented seal mark, the receipt has a brown two pence postage stamp of Queen Elizabeth at the cost of four pounds, four pence.

margaret slattery

Midwife Nurse Margaret Slattery and other Australian nurses were on a Council of Nurses exchange program in USA and Canada. Articles and images in the North Carolina newspaper and cuttings feature the nurses in veils and uniform-comparing techniques of childcare practice in large and small city hospitals.

Some articles have hand-written notes in the columns.

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Following her General Nurse Training at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Sister Margaret Slattery completed her Midwifery Training at Royal Women's Hospital Melbourne, travelled overseas to England, Canada and then an exchange program in America. One of the photographs shows the elaborate bassinet covers that were in use in hospital baby nurseries circa 1955 in America.

Inscription reads Toronto Western Hospital Canada, November 1955 - "Baby Cart,- 8 of 'em!". Another reads: "The Doorway of Dickens house. We did not enter the threshold-we didn't have the bob!"

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Sister Margaret Slattery, St Vincent's Hospital Trained Nurse and Royal Melbourne Hospital Midwife, was to work in America under an exchange agreement between the Australian Nursing Federation and the American Trained Nurses' Association in 1954. Mr J.A. Stevenson was the author of the reference and letter.

Signed in ink by J.A.Stevenson.

margaret slattery, the australian nurses federation, the american trained nurses' association., nursing exchange arrangement, j.a. stevenson

Text reference book for midwives with illustrations and photographs.

In an indented circle on the hardcover is "Blacks Medical Series: " with the image of the Rod Of Asclepius, the symbol of medicine featuring the single serpent wrapped around a simple staff. Margaret Slattery's name is hand written in ink on the inner cover.

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A pocket size text book for easy reference for nurses' education in the 1940's.

Margaret Slattery has written her name in ink and the cost of the book was eight shillings and sixpence.

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A prose written in jest about the constant interruptions of Nurse M Slattery (and other junior nurses) in carrying out their duties - they ( sic)"have continually driven sleep from my weariest soul"- meaning interruptions to the doctors when they, (Resident Doctors) might have been due for a break in their duties.

Signed by Eric R Seal, Bryan Egan, J trainor, L Poynes and unknown.

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The certificate states that Margaret M. Slattery attended the prescribed course of lectures for three years and passed examinations and is now a fully trained general nurse. It is signed by the Mother Rectress, Honorary Lecturers and the Medical Superintendent and Nurse Slattery.

All signatures on the folder are in ink.

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The certificate states that Margaret Mary Slattery was successful in anatomy and physiology, hygiene and junior general nursing in the first professional examinations in the first year of her training at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne. It is signed by the assistant registrar.

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Handwritten at age ninety- eight, Eileen nee Cattanach compiled two folders of nursing memories, including stories, accompanying photographs, cartoons and anecdotes of earlier training days at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne. Eileen speaks of the close-knit camaraderie, of sharing each other's trials and tribulations through three war torn years and beyond. She describes her nursing vocation as "the satisfaction of giving help to those in need".

Photographs have names and inscriptions, anecdotes written sideways on margins.

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Sister Vivienne Pearce completed a post graduate course in Gynaecological Diseases Nursing at The Royal Women's Hospital to further her already completed certified trained nurse and midwife training at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne.

The certificate is signed by the President, the Manager, the Matron, the Examiners and Vivienne Pearce.

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The certificate states that Vivienne Pearce has fulfilled the conditions and regulations prescribed under the Midwives Acts and has passed prescribed examinations and is entitled to practice as a midwife subject to the provisions and regulations thereunder.

Typed name and numbered certificate which has a black art deco- type decorative border. There are ink signatures of the Chairman of the Board, Registrar and Midwife.

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The certificate states that Vivienne Pearce has received instruction in the special work in the Midwifery Department for a period of twelve months and was found to be competent to discharge the duties of an Obstetric Nurse.

The names of Mother Rectress, Lecturers, Secretary and Nurse are filled in ink.

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Following registration as a trained nurse At St Vincent's Hospital in 1952, Vivienne Pearce began her Midwifery training at the adjacent maternity hospital in 1953. The nurses board case book set comprehensive regulation observations of the patient and her baby, for the pupil- nurses' curriculum for educators and supervisors to oversee. The course at that time was 12 months.

Hand written entries in blue fountain pen.

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An example of the hospital outpatient's appointment card with the specialist's name and time and the instruction that the card must always be brought with you and must be kept clean.

The card specifies the specialist doctor in black capital letters.

st vincent's hospital melbourne, out-patients department, vivienne pearce, mr frank morgan

A cartoon of a fictitious casualty department scenario.

Black ink pen capital letters used in dialogue ballon.

casualty nurse, cartoon, vivienne pearce, casualty patient

After completeing three years of hospital based examinations and training, and following graduation, nurses were addressed as "Sister" on their name badge.

SR. V. PEARCE

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The article states that the seventeen happy nurses pictured had just finished their exams at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne and were celebrating at a party held at Pat Adams home in Gardenvale. The picture shows the nurses gathered around a three- tiered, iced and decorated cake for their celebration. Vivienne Pearce was most likely pictured amongst this group.

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Vivienne would have used this reference in her application to commence nursing at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne in 1956.

Catholic Presbytery Kew E.4 letterhead

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Vivienne Pearce completed her nursing training at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne in 1952. The Nurses Board was established in 1924 and became responsible for the registration and regulation of general nursing.

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Mother Rectress Peardon has congratulated Vivienne Pearce on her success at the State Final Examinations.

Blue hospital crest and signed in ink by M.A. Peardon.

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The St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne nurses' graduation badge has an outer darker blue border with "Caritas Christi Urget Nos" written in gold capital writing. The meaning is "the love of Christ urges us on". Within, there is a 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 symbols of nurses working under the guidance of the Sisters of Charity.

St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne in capital letters adorns the top of the badge with Caritas Christi Urget Nos on the bottom.

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