In November 1884 Miss Ella Pirrie was appointed Superintendent and Head Nurse at the Belfast Union Workhouse Infirmary (now the Belfast City Hospital), with a yearly salary of £30.
  She led the introduction of uniforms for paid nurses.
She established the first nurse training school in the hospital in 1887, with the first trainees undertaking the three year course in 1888.


The work was arduous and Florence Nightingale wrote with concern at the stress she was under and inquiring after her ill health and lack of paid help.
Nightingale also sent Pirrie presents including an illuminated text by Marcus Ward printers, "I am among you as one who serves.",
this was misplaced in 1969 when Erskine House opened.

Pirrie resigned in 1892 due to stress, caring for between 800 and 1000 patients.
In November 1884 Miss Ella Pirrie was appointed Superintendent and Head Nurse at the Belfast Union Workhouse Infirmary (now the Belfast City Hospital), with a yearly salary of £30.  She led the introduction of uniforms for paid nurses. She established the first nurse training school in the hospital in 1887, with the first trainees undertaking the three year course in 1888.

The work was arduous and Florence Nightingale wrote with concern at the stress she was under and inquiring after her ill health and lack of paid help. Nightingale also sent Pirrie presents including an illuminated text by Marcus Ward printers, "I am among you as one who serves.", this was misplaced in 1969 when Erskine House opened. 
Pirrie resigned in 1892 due to stress, caring for between 800 and 1000 patients.
Ella Pirrie