Patricia Downes Chomley
Patricia Downes Chomley MBE | |
---|---|
Patricia Downes Chomley
Patricia Downes Chomley was born in 1910 at Sale, Victoria, Australia and attended Lauriston Girls School in Armadale, Victoria.[6] Patricia trained in nursing at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne in 1934 and obtained a midwifery certificate from the Royal Women's Hospital a year later. She worked as a Tutor Sister at the Alfred Hospital until she joined the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) in 1940. Patricia saw active duty in Palestine, Libya, Ceylon and on the hospital ship Manunda.[7]
After the war ended Patricia became a Tutor Sister at the Royal College of Nursing, London and in 1948 was appointed Assistant to the Director of the Colleges. Awarded the Red Cross Florence Nightingale International Foundation Scholarship she completed a Tutor Sister course at the College graduating with distinctions. Chomley returned to Australia in 1948 having toured hospitals in Scandinavia and Belgium.[8]
During the 15 years of Miss Chomley’s leadership of the Royal College of Nursing, Australia, some six hundred students undertook courses. Many of those nurses subsequently held senior nursing positions throughout Australia and were instrumental in important developments in the nursing profession and quality of patient care.[9] Chomley introduced and guided many changes to the administration and educational activities. She was well-known as an adept and experienced 'politician', as a leading nurse educator, a woman who commanded respect and one who was well able to deal with difficult individuals or situations. When Chomley retired in 1964 it was noted that it would be no easy task to replace her.
Patricia Downes Chomley was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1968 for "service to nursing administration."[10] In her retirement, she was Deputy Club Consultant for the Old Peoples’ Welfare Council of Victoria, advising elderly citizens clubs throughout the state. Patricia passed away at the Baxter Village Nursing Home in Frankston, on October 24, 2002, aged 92.[11]
References
- ^ Lesley Potter and R. Lynette Russell, Behind the Lamp, 1949–2013: A record of the women and men who led and shaped the Royal college of Nursing Australia, College of Nursing, Canberra, 2019, p.12.
- ^ Russell G. Smith, In Pursuit of Nursing Excellence: A history of the Royal college of Nursing, Australia, 1949–99, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, pp. 52–53.
- ISBN 0195510518.
- ^ The Argus, 28 May 1859.
- ^ https://www.upperbeaconsfieldhistory.org.au/g)/p680.htm [dead link]
- ^ Lauriston Girls School. "Lauriston girls School". Lauriston Girls School.
- ^ Russell G. Smith, In Pursuit of Nursing Excellence: A history of the Royal college of Nursing, Australia, 1949–99, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, p.52; Argus, 7 December 1949,
- ^ Argus, 7 December 1949.
- ^ https://ola.org.au/vic/lauriston/uploads/Alumnae%20Profiles/Patricia%20Chomley%20OBE%20(1925).pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ Lesley Potter and R Lynette Russell, Behind the Lamp: 1949-2012: A record of the women and men who led and shaped the Royal College of Nursing Australia,
- ^ "Patricia Downes Chomley MBE – the Lone Graver". 18 December 2017.