Majorie Bowden

Majorie (Joyce) first visited Alice Springs in March 1964 and was enchanted with the rugged dusty surroundings. After marrying, in September, Anthony John Bowden she made Alice Springs her home. Working at the Alice Springs Hospital, in a nursing position, she was initially granted temporary status because she was married. Joyce commenced infant welfare training, without pay or sponsorship, she returned to the hospital to take up the position of district nurse. Joyce and her co-nurses often worked double shifts without days off hospital overcrowded and staff turnover was high. She also went on shift after hours on bush ambulance call outs and occasional Air Medical Service evacuation flights. Joyce lobbied for increased staffing, increased accommodation facilities for staff and the patients for better conditions. She was a founding member of the Royal Australian Nurses Federation, Alice Springs sub-branch, and played a pivotal role in the steering group which developed the initial policy and practice guidelines for the hospital. In 1970, after her first son was born, Joyce went back to work as acting matron in 1971 and assisted Margaret Borger in establishing training courses for assistants and orderlies. After her second son was born in 1972, she returned to work as one of the nurse educators for the new school and obtaining further unsponsored academic qualifications in nursing education. Joyce now a single parent continued hospital work until 1982 when she transferred to Community Health Services as Director of Nursing. She is a member of Northern Territory Road Safety Council and the Bindi Centre Management Committee.NurseEducato