Mary Isabel Lambie

Mary Isabel Lambie (26 October 1889 – 22 January 1971) was a New Zealand nurse and nursing educator. After World War II she became an international advocate for nursing and nursing education, eventually working with the World Health Organization. She also collected data on enlarged thyroids and this data led to the discovery of iodine deficiency as a cause of goitre. . In 1928, she became one of two instructors for a postgraduate nursing programme in hospital administration and teaching or public health nursing. She was dedicated to improving the quality of nursing education and continued her work in the education of health professionals after the war. Her work included inspecting hospitals and schools of nursing, laying the foundations of a public health nursing service as well as being concerned for the health of Māori people.

Public recognition In 1935, she was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of St John in 1937 and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1938 New Year Honours. In the 1950 New Year Honours, she was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire.