The Mater Hospital was chartered as a School of Midwifery in 1972.The Hospital since then has led in its reputation for the services offered. In 2004, the Nursing council approved The Mater Hospital to train Kenya Registered Nurses and the school was named “CATHERINE McAULEY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY”. (Catherine McAuley was the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy in 1831 in Ireland. It is worth noting that some of the early Sisters of Mercy worked with Florence Nightingale in the Crimean war in the1850’s). The Sisters of Mercy therefore have a very long history in the area of medical care and education throughout the world.

Catherine McAuley the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy was born in Dublin, Ireland, in September, 1778 to a prosperous Catholic family. Though her father, James McAuley, died in 1783 when Catherine was just five years old, his compassion for the poor, especially children and families who lived nearby, was a lifelong example for his eldest daughter Catherine. Women, intrigued by the work Catherine was doing of building a large house for religious, Educational and social services for women and children, got attracted to her and began to join her preparations for the ministry she planned i.e serving the poor. Between late 1829 and 1842, after a prayerful deliberation and consultation, Catherine and her associates agreed to form a new religious congregation i.e Sisters of Mercy dedicated to serving the poor in the area of Medical Care and Education throughout the world.

We are honored to name the School of Nursing after this compassionate woman – Catherine McAuley. September 2006 saw another milestone in the development of the school - approval by the Nursing Council of Kenya to commence the Distance Learning/E-learning Program for upgrading of Enrolled Community Health Nurses to Registered Community Health Nurses.  This program enables nurses in full time employment to learn as they work.

Most of the graduates are absorbed at The Mater Hospital and the rest join local private and public healthcare organizations and even abroad.The school has adequate facilities to support learning ranging from lecture rooms, skills laboratory, computer laboratory with internet access,  a library, School Bus, play ground among others.