The American Nurses Association, composed of professional nurses dedicated to the promotion of health and the care of the sick, has served as the forum in which the nation's critical health issues have been discussed throughout the last century. Functioning as a democracy, the ANA provided the structure in which views were expressed, ideas were debated and evaluated, and positions and goals were formulated. Because it represented the views of administrators, clinical practitioners in institutions and community agencies, educators, and researchers, it has served for 100 years as the public voice for the diversity of America's professional nurses. This Centennial exhibit focuses on the primary reason for all of ANA's concern and activities, the fulfillment of nursing's social responsibility to provide health care to people. The following is a selection of nurses' quotes and summarized narratives that depict ANA's involvement with professional nurses and their patients throughout a century of care-giving.
Organization is the power of the day.
Without it, nothing great is accomplished. All rights reserved. The American Nurses Association gratefully acknowledges the extraordinary contribution of the co-consultants, Barbara Brodie, PhD, RN, FAAN, Director, and Arlene W. Keeling, PhD, RN, Associate Director, of the Center for Nursing Historical Inquiry, University of Virginia School of Nursing, for providing the historical and graphic research and writing for this exhibition. Israel Hospital, Boston, MA Emergency Nurses Association National Association of Orthopedic Nurses National Association of School Nurses National Student Nurses Association New York University, Division of Nursing, in honor of Martha E. Rogers, Sc.