In 1930 McDonald began training at Dunedin Hospital and qualified as a registered nurse in 1934.
She was then appointed sub-matron at Queen Mary Hospital in Hanmer Springs, in North Canterbury.
[2][3] In January 1949 McDonald returned to New Zealand and became matron at the Navy Hospital in Devonport.
[3] In 1958 she was appointed Director of Nursing Services (Army, Navy, Air)[2] and posted to Fort Dorset in Wellington.
[1] McDonald was made an Associate of the Royal Red Cross (ARRC) in the 1946 King's Birthday Honours,[4] and promoted to Member of the Royal Red Cross (RRC) in the 1953 Coronation Honours.