Elsie Stephenson trained as a State Registered Nurse, Midwife, Fever Nurse and Health Visitor in England 1935-1942. She undertook war work in Egypt, North Italy, Germany and Yugoslavia 1944-1946; she was Deputy Chief Matron British Red Cross Society 1947-1948, and Chief Nursing officer in East Suffolk and Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1948-1956. She became first director of what became known as the Nursing Studies Unit (1956) and later of the Department of Nursing at University of Edinburgh (1965), and had numerous special appointments and honours.