The corps was initially formed in 1915 from civilian nurses who volunteered for service during World War I, and who were granted honorary officer ranks.

A Nursing Reserve had been formed as part of the New Zealand Medical Corps on 14 May 1908.

[3] Nursing Officers in the New Zealand Army can be employed broadly in primary health, perioperative, surgical or emergency settings,[2] which can see RNZNC personnel providing health services in a garrison health centre, in a civilian practice, or deployed on operations.

However, since then the RNZNC has developed into a corps of both Regular and Reserve personnel.

Throughout the corps' history, personnel have been deployed to various operational theatres.