Lucy Osburn and the Making of Modern Nursing: Reform, Resistance, and Reputation

Name: Lucy Osburn and the Making of Modern Nursing: Reform, Resistance, and Reputation
Start: 2026-05-02T01:00:00+10:00
End: 2026-05-02T02:30:00+10:00
Location: Cnr Congressional Drive and Hume Highway, Liverpool, NSW, Australia, New South Wales 2170

Schedule

Sat May 02 2026 at 01:00 am to 02:30 am

UTC+10:00

Location

Cnr Congressional Drive and Hume Highway, Liverpool, NSW, Australia, New South Wales 2170 | Liverpool, NS

When Lucy Osburn stepped ashore in Sydney in 1868, she had the task of implementing Florence Nightingale’s vision for a new kind of nursing. In the next 16 years, Osburn fought to reform Sydney Hospital, improve nursing care, and create a profession for women. In doing so, she transformed Australian healthcare yet became a lightning rod for criticism — ultimately from Nightingale herself. This talk uncovers the controversies that shaped Lucy Osburn’s career and explores why she is celebrated as the founder of modern nursing in Australia.
Dr Judith Godden is an historian and former academic at the University of Sydney. She is an Honorary Fellow of the Australian College of Nursing; an Honorary Life Member of the Australian and New Zealand Society of the History of Medicine; a Patron of the Ryde District Historical Society; Secretary of Ku-ring-gai Historical Society; and a Councillor of the Royal Australian Historical Society. This presentation draws on her first book, Lucy Osburn, a Lady Displaced, which was shortlisted for Australia's National Biography Award.