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National Organization for Public Health Nursing records

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Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Barbara Bates Center for the Study of The History of Nursing [Contact Us]Claire Fagin Hall, 418 Curie Boulevard, Floor 2U, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4217

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania: Barbara Bates Center for the Study of The History of Nursing. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
MC 83
Repository:
University of Pennsylvania: Barbara Bates Center for the Study of The History of Nursing
Extent:
0.67 linear feet
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
National Organization for Public Health Nursing records, Barbara Bates Center for The Study of The History of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania
Date:
1913-1953 (inclusive)
Creator:
National Organization for Public Health Nurses.
Form:
Administrative records and Microfiche
Abstract:
This collection contains the records of the National Organization for Public Health Nursing. It consists chiefly of minutes from the meetings of the board of directors, committees, and the annual conventions. Correspondence files are also included within the minutes.

By 1910, more than one thousand organizations were employing visiting nurses across the country. Anxious to better direct this new fields development, a Committee on Visiting Nursing of the American Nurses Association was formed. Chaired by Lillian Wald, this group asked the American Nurses Association and the American Society of Superintendents to appoint a committee to study the feasibility of a third nursing organization. The end result was the creation of the National Organization for Public Health Nursing (NOPHN) in June of 1912. This groups encompassed nurses from visiting nurse associations, anti-tuberculosis organizations, rural health agencies, and industrial health units. Unlike their private-duty counterparts, public health nurses concentrated on contagious disease control, screening, and health education in place of bedside care.

The NOPHN was a cooperative effort between nurses and lay people in the promotion of public health. Its objectives were to stimulate responsibility for health of the community by establishment of extensions of visiting nursing and all other forms of public health nursing; to facilitate efficient cooperation between nurses, physicians, boards of trustees, and other persons interested in public health measures; to develop standards of ethics and techniques of public health nursing; to establish and maintain a central bureau for information, reference, and assistance in matters pertaining to such service; and to publish periodicals and issue bulletins from time to time to aid in the general accomplishment of the organization.

Through an anonymous gift, the NOPHN become the first nursing organization to open an office and hire a full-time executive director, Ella Crandall. Additionally, the Visiting Nurse Quarterly, with its one thousand subscribers, advertising contracts, and remaining budget, was given to the new organization. An association of nurses, lay people, and educational and service agencies, the NOPHN for years pursued its agenda of establishing standards for service and education and ultimately community health. Concluding an era in the history of public health nursing, on June 19, 1952, the NOPHN held its last meeting, voting the dissolution of the organization and the transfer of its interests and resources to the newly formed National League for Nursing.

The Center for the Study of the History of Nursing purchased this collection of microfilm from the National Library of Medicine in 1985. The collection consists of 25 microfilm reels (numbered reels 9 through 33). In order to provide greater access to the collection, Center staff examined each reel of film and recorded the information from the title sheets forming part of each reel. Although this information is somewhat crude, it will assist the researcher in finding relevant material.

Acquired from the National Library of Medicine, History of Medicine Division.

Organization
Subject
Occupation

Publisher
University of Pennsylvania: Barbara Bates Center for the Study of The History of Nursing
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by Center staff, updated by Bethany Myers
Access Restrictions

This collection is unrestricted.

Use Restrictions

Copyright restrictions may apply. Please contact the Center with requests for copying and for authorization to publish, quote or reproduce the material.

Collection Inventory

Book #2-Biennial Convention Bible, Monitors.
Box 1 Roll 9
Book #3-Biennial Convention Bible, Exhibits.
Box 1 Roll 9
Proceedings, June 1936.
Box 1 Roll 9
Convention Proceedings, May 1917.
Box 1 Roll 9

Jan 1945-May 1947.
Box 1 Roll 9
November 1947-October 1948.
Box 1 Roll 9
January 1949-October 1949.
Box 1 Roll 9
1950.
Box 1 Roll 9
1951-1952.
Box 1 Roll 10
May 1940-May 1942.
Box 1 Roll 10
May 1942-May 1944.
Box 1 Roll 10
November 1938-June 1940.
Box 1 Roll 10
June 1936-November 1938.
Box 1 Roll 10
June 1930-October 1933.
Box 1 Roll 10
January 1934-April 1936.
Box 1 Roll 11
June 1928-June 1930.
Box 1 Roll 11
May 1926-May 1928.
Box 1 Roll 11
June 1924-June 1926.
Box 1 Roll 11
June 1921-1924.
Box 1 Roll 11
1920-1921.
Box 1 Roll 11
Book #1, 1912-1919.
Box 1 Roll 11
Book #2, 1912-1919.
Box 1 Roll 11
Book #3, 1912-1919.
Box 1 Roll 11

Miscellaneous Manuals, 1928-1935.
Box 1 Roll 11
Advisory Committee on Lay Participation, October 13, 1941.
Box 1 Roll 11
Agency Adjustments in the National Security Program, January 9, 1951.
Box 1 Roll 12
Allocation of NOPHN Functions and Programs, 1950.
Box 1 Roll 12
Ex-1, Ex-2, Ex-3, Ex-4, Ex-5.
Box 1 Roll 12
Cost in Public Health Nursing, 1945-1949.
Box 1 Roll 12
Cost in Public Health Nursing, 1934-1943.
Box 1 Roll 12
Education Committee of Board and Committee Members Section.
Box 1 Roll 12
Education Committee Minutes, 1930-1950.
Box 1 Roll 12
Index, 1942, 1944-1948.
Box 1 Roll 13
Policies of the Committee on Accreditation.
Box 1 Roll 13
Collegiate Council of Public Health.
Box 1 Roll 13
Committee Eligibility, 1951-1917 (Reverse Chronology).
Box 1 Roll 13
Collegiate Council on PHN Education, 1947-1951.
Box 1 Roll 13
Nursing Education, 1931-1942.
Box 1 Roll 13
Financial Committee Minutes.
Box 1 Roll 13
Records Committee Minutes, 1950-1934 (Reverse Chronology).
Box 1 Roll 13
Records Committee Minutes, 1926-1936.
Box 1 Roll 14
Reprint Committee, 1949.
Box 1 Roll 14
Committee on Service Cost & Analysis, 1927-1951.
Box 1 Roll 14
Committee on Structure of Nursing Organization.
Box 1 Roll 14
Committee on Profit Analysis.
Box 1 Roll 14
Staff Minutes, 1948-1950.
Box 1 Roll 14
Staff Reports, January 1951-April 1951.
Box 1 Roll 14
Council of Branches-Minutes, 1946-1950.
Box 1 Roll 15
Advisory Committee Minutes.
Box 1 Roll 15
Industrial Nursing Section.
Box 1 Roll 16
Park Avenue Building.
Box 1 Roll 16
Staff Council.
Box 1 Roll 16
Careers.
Box 1 Roll 16
Nursing Services.
Box 1 Roll 16
Nursing Service Sub-committee on Councils in Community Nursing, 1936.
Box 1 Roll 17
Finance Committee, 1941-1942.
Box 1 Roll 17
Finance Committee, 1939-1940.
Box 1 Roll 17
Committee on Mental Hygiene, 1946-1948.
Box 1 Roll 17
Committee on Mental Hygiene, November 1949.
Box 1 Roll 17
Conference on Mental Hygiene Education for PHN, November 16-18, 1949.
Box 1 Roll 18
Committee on National Improvement of Nursing Services, 1949.
Box 1 Roll 18
Unification Accrediting Activities, 1949.
Box 1 Roll 18
National Improvement of Nursing Services, 1948.
Box 1 Roll 18
Miscellaneous Document, Journals, etc.
Box 1 Roll 19
Committee-Minutes, Headquarters Cabinet, 1941-1946.
Box 1 Roll 20
Miscellaneous Documents.
Box 1 Roll 20
Public Health Nursing Magazine.
Box 1 Roll 21
Miscellaneous Material, 1929.
Box 1 Roll 21
Correspondence.
Box 1 Roll 22
Annual Reports.
Box 1 Roll 22
Miscellaneous Materials, 1915-1952.
Box 1 Roll 22
Miscellaneous Materials, 1915-1951.
Box 2 Roll 23
Miscellaneous Materials, 1925-1951.
Box 2 Roll 24
Regional Meeting, April 9-10, 1947.
Box 1 Roll 24
Miscellaneous Materials, 1919-1953.
Box 2 Roll 25
Membership Lists.
Box 1 Roll 25
Joint Project-Report of Development of Criteria for the Evaluation of Psychiatric Nursing.
Box 2 Roll 26
Miscellaneous Material.
Box 2 Roll 27
Individual Membership Lists, 1936-1938.
Box 2 Roll 27
NOPHN-Sub-committee on Accreditation, Special Meeting Proceedings, 1948.
Box 2 Roll 28
The Council of State Leagues of the National League of Nursing Education.
Box 2 Roll 28
Miscellaneous Material.
Box 2 Roll 28
Miscellaneous Material.
Box 2 Roll 29
Sophie Nelson's Book of the NOPHN.
Box 2 Roll 29
Miscellaneous Material, 1951.
Box 2 Roll 30
Financial Statement of 1941.
Box 2 Roll 30
ANA Materials.
Box 2 Roll 30
Newspaper Clippings.
Box 2 Roll 31
Correspondence.
Box 2 Roll 31
Miscellaneous Material.
Box 2 Roll 32
History Committee.
Box 2 Roll 33
Joint Committee on Community Nursing Service.
Box 2 Roll 33
National League for Nursing Education.
Box 2 Roll 33

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