JANET MARIE LOUISE SOPHIE GEISTER, 1885-1964: HEALTH CARE REVOLUTIONARY (NURSING BIOGRAPHY, FAMILY HISTORY, AMERICAN NURSES' ASSOCIATION, PRIVATE DIETY NURSING, SPIRITUAL VS MATERIALISTIC PARADIGM).
Contributors: Boston University.
Published: 1986
Number of pages: 166
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Janet M. Geister (1885-1964), Executive Director at headquarters (1927-1933) of the American Nurses' Association was a pivotal figure in the development of the profession of nursing in America. In the professional transition from autonomous private duty nursing to hospital based practice, Geister articulated alternatives to plans for organizational reform and changes in structure that would assure independence for nurses. As a nursing journalist and speaker for over a half-century, Geister challenged the American Nurses' Association organizational leadership on behalf of the independent practitioner, the private duty nurse. As champion of the spiritual ethical paradigm over a materialist political approach, Geister confronted the class issues in nursing.

This dissertation presents her life and political philosophy from published and unpublished materials in the Geister Collection at the Nursing Archive, Boston University, utilizing secondary sources such as historical and contemporary nursing writings, official American Nurses' Association papers and interviews. It analyzes the formative influences of her family, traditions, education, work experiences and colleagues in her later work as entrepreneur and shaper of early twentieth century American Nursing. This is the first biography of Janet M. Geister who was admitted to the American Nurses' Association Hall of Fame in 1984.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-05, Section: B, page: 1927.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--BOSTON UNIVERSITY, 1986.

School code: 0017.