Leicester Royal Infirmary School of Nursing

The Leicester Infirmary (later the Leicester Royal Infirmary) was founded in 1771, although it was not until the 1860s that trained nurses were first hired in the wake of Florence Nightingale’s reforms of the nursing profession. In 1866 representatives of the Institution for Trained Nurses approached the hospital board stating that they intended to open a branch in Leicester and requesting that their nurses be trained at the Infirmary. The board refused the request but the Institution was opened in July that year, providing a set of trained nurses living in one home under the guidance of a lady superintendent. They usually nursed in private homes. In 1870 the Institution again approached the board and this time they were successful. 6 probationers started work at the hospital, living on the grounds and supervised by the matron. The Institution paid the hospital 5 shillings weekly maintenance per probationer.

In 1874 further moves towards professionalization were made when it was suggested that the nurses wear a uniform. Later that year the Institution proposed that their lady superintendent should take over the nursing of 2 wards, in which all probationers would then be trained. This arrangement proved so satisfactory that after only 3 months it was decided that the Institution would take over all nursing at the hospital, and 8 nurses, 18 probationers and the lady superintendent joined the staff. After a 3 month course of instruction the probationers became assistant nurses.

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