Mabel Leilani Smyth was the first Native Hawaiian public health nurse. She is referred to as “Hawai`i’s Florence Nightingale.” Shew began her work with Palama Settlement in 1915. She was granted license #52 after the Board of Nursing established a licensing requirement. She became Palama Settlement’s head nurse in 1918. She also became a charter member of the Hawai`i Nursing Association and joined the Honolulu chapter of the America Red Cross. She joined with other public health nurses to begin a public health nursing program at the University of Hawai`i. The Mabel Smyth Memorial Building, today the Queen’s Conference Center, and the auditorium of that building are named for her.
