Abstract: Historical facts from 1881 pertaining to Wellington Hospital, and the training of nurses, commencing with the employment of unpaid Lady Nurses, the conditions of employment for probationers (circa 1883), the formal teaching of probationers 1888, progressing to a three year training, and, with Miss Ellen Dougherty a Wellington trainee being the first registered nurse in the world in 1901. Management of the 1880's and 90's appears a little strange, not employing their own trainees, nor appointing Miss Dougherty as matron, when she had been acting matron.Extrapolation of historical facts to give a probable characterisation of the unpaid Lady nurses and the day in the life of a probationer nurse of these times.Inferences suggest that nursing in New Zealand had military rather than religious origins and, perhaps Misses Selena Sutherland and Dougherty were not lady like enough to be employed by Wellington Hospital!
