THIS BEAUTIFUL CHARITY: EVOLUTION OF THE VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION OF CHICAGO, 1889-1920 (HOME NURSING).
Contributors: University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
Published: 1990
Number of pages: 370
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) of Chicago was founded in 1889 by socially prominent women who had identified a need for home nursing care for the sick poor. This study is an exploration of what occurred in the development of the VNA between 1889 to 1920. Chicago during that time had become a major industrial city that attracted over one million new immigrants, and the health and social needs of the newcomers were great. As a result, the VNA expanded its services from home visits to the sick to include innovative programs designed to provide preventive care and to address social needs. Some of these programs included school nursing, industrial nursing, tents in the summer to provide health care for sick infants, and care and prevention of communicable diseases. Nurses and VNA Board members served on multidisciplinary committees and participated in studies in order to advance principles of public health and promote the health of Chicago residents. Nurses from the "best" schools were hired, and they practiced the highest standards of nursing care. The nurses committed to continuing their own education, and they frequently participated in the education of others through the student nurse program, through consultation, and by presentations at national and international conferences. Board members used their financial and social influence to develop a fiscally sound, socially responsive agency. Throughout the study period, the nurses and the Board of Directors of the VNA established a unique collaborative approach to the delivery of health care. Board members and nurses made significant contributions to the health and well being of the citizens of Chicago and to the advancement of visiting nursing practice in this and other countries.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-03, Section: B, page: 1348.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MILWAUKEE, 1990.

School code: 0263.