She began work in Brisbane at the Diamantina Hospital for Chronic Diseases and rose to lead the Australasian Trained Nurses' Association.

Before the start of World War One she and her family emigrated to Australia where they made their new home in Brisbane at Coorparoo.

[1] In 1923 Ellen Barron opened the first training school in child welfare nursing in Brisbane.

The International Council of Nurses met in Brazil and Turkey in 1953 and 1955 and Bardsley was again the Australian delegate.

[1] In 1957 she addressed the New South Wales College of Nursing with a speech called "New Lamps for Old" which was later published.