MacLean, Hester (1859–1932)

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MacLean, Hester (1859–1932)

New Zealand nurse, hospital matron, editor, and writer. Born Feb 25, 1859, in Sofala, New South Wales, Australia; dau. of Harold Maclean (goldfields commissioner) and Emily (Strong) Maclean.

Trained as nurse at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney (1893); worked as private nurse before becoming matron of Kogarah Cottage Hospital, Melbourne (1897); was a sister at Women's Hospital, Melbourne (1897), matron (1900–04); served as matron of Queen Victoria Hospital for Women and Children (1899–1900) and matron of Bay View Asylum, Sydney (1905–06); secured post of assistant inspector of hospitals in New Zealand's Department of Hospitals and Charitable Aid (1906–23); active in Australasian and Victorian Trained Nurses' associations; instrumental in merging New Zealand's various nursing associations into New Zealand Trained Nurses' Association (1909); during WWI, worked with New Zealand Army Nursing Service, escorting 1st nurses to Egypt (1915); responsible for drafting Nurses and Midwives Registration Act (1925); edited and published nursing journal, Kai Tiaki (guardian, 1908). Royal Red Cross medal (first class) (1917); Florence Nightingale Medal (1920).

See also autobiography, Nursing in New Zealand (1932) and Dictionary of New Zealand Biography (Vol. 3).

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