Born: 7 June 1891, Australia
Died: 25 January 1974
Country most active: Australia
Also known as: NA
This biography has been shared from The Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, published by the Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology, under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Edna Shaw was a Matron at the Women’s Hospital in Crown Street Sydney from 1936 to 1952. Prior to this she worked at the hospital as acting matron, head of district nursing, head of the out-patients ward and head nurse in the premature babies ward. Shaw was also a founder of the ‘Baby Bureau’, a scheme to find beds in other hospitals for expectant women. She also helped in the process of adopting out children of unmarried mothers. Edna Shaw was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1950 for her services to nursing.
Chronology
1914
Career position – Probationer at Marrickville Cottage Hospital, New South Wales
1917
Education – Nurses certificate completed
1918
Education – Midwifery certificate, Royal Hospital for Women in Paddington, New South Wales
1919 – 1936
Career position – Deputy Matron and head of district work at the Women’s Hospital in Crown Street
1924 – 1936?
Career position – Head of out-patients at the Women’s Hospital
1927
Education – Mothercraft Certificate, Tresillian Mothercraft Training School
1936 – 1952
Career position – Matron of the Women’s Hospital
1937 – 1949
Career position – Member of the Nurses’ Registration Board
1938 – 1952
Career position – Council member of the Australian Trained Nurses’ Association
1941 –
Career position – Member of the National Council of Women of New South Wales
1950
Award – Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
1952
Life event – Retired from all nursing duties