A Social History of the Nurse's Uniform 1892-1990
The Victoria General School of Nursing
The V.G. hospital uniforms
changed to reflect broader uniform changes often initiated by nurse's requests locally, nationally and globally
Victoria General Hospital's first policy in the 1890s regarding the nursing school and their uniforms can be found here.
Victoria General Portrait Collection
Victoria General Archives Collection
Victoria General Archives Collection
Victoria General Archives Collection
Victoria General Archives Collection
Army Sister Uniform World Wars 1939-1945
The male uniform remained mostly the same through the years. It had a high neck collar and the VGH initials inscribed on the pocket.
Student Nurse's Probation Uniform 1939-1950s
Student Uniform
Uniforms in the V.G. hospital nursing school followed contemporary fashions of the time. Earlier styles reflected both the Nightingale era of nursing with Victorian ideals of dress, hence the longer length of skirt and sleeves, that endured up until the 1940s. Prominent class distinctions signified social values of feminine respectibility. Religious, military and European influences reinforced distinct hierarchies and different levels of education. The cap and dress colour for example, had varying colours representing distinct training schools.
Following growing demands for quality healthcare, nursing education and training schools grew in numbers, requiring advanced medical education and skills.
Uniforms made social roles more identifiable, conveyed expertise, obedience, authority or responsibility. The earlier bib, aprons and cap styles indicate service-oriented beginnings, while also helping to ease transitions for women to work in male-dominated environments like hospitals and military hospice settings.