Working Nurse

Working Nurse - September 2019

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Working Nurse l WorkingNurse.com 21 September 16–October 14, 2019 tance of training and preparing nurses for wars and natural disasters, Delano became superintendent of the Army Nurse Corps in 1909. The recruitment and enrollment programs she initiated helped the corps — which had been on the verge of disbanding following the Spanish-American War — to later recruit the 21,480 Army nurses who served in World War I. During this same period, Delano was also president of the board of the American Journal of Nursing; president of the Associated Alumnae, forerunner of the American Nurses Association; and chairman of the National Committee on Red Cross Nursing Service. Her work helped to make nursing a rec- ognized and respected part of the healthcare field. Serving During War and Peace In 1912, Delano decided to give her full attention to the American Red Cross, with the goal of establishing a national reserve of Red Cross nurses who could support both the mili- tary nurse corps and the U.S. Public Health Service. She trav- eled across the country, speaking, promoting and inspiring nurses to volunteer for the Red Cross. These efforts proved prescient when the U.S. entered World War I five years later. By 1917, the Red Cross nursing reserve was about 8,000-strong, a number that would more than double by war's end. The Red Cross played a pivotal role during the war, sending medical supplies, doctors and nurses to aid military and civilian causalities both overseas and in the U.S. Delano's earlier rural assignments had her helped realize the urgent need for healthcare and health education in all communities. To that end, she established the Red Cross Town and Country Nursing Service (later called the American National Red Cross Public Health Nursing Service) to serve rural populations. Delano also developed curriculum and cowrote textbooks for Red Cross courses on home healthcare and hygiene. Burial at Arlington Cemetery In 1919, following the Armistice that ended World War I, Delano traveled to France to inspect hospital bases that had been used during the war and to battle Spanish Influenza, which had killed an estimated 22 million people. During her trip, she contracted mastoiditis, a complication of acute otitis media in which the infection spreads to the mastoid bone behind the ear. Although she underwent sur- gery, she died shortly afterward at the age of 73. Even on her deathbed, her main concern was getting "back to my work." Although she was originally buried in Savenay, France, her body now lies in the Nurses' Corner of Arlington National Cemetery, where a bronze memorial is dedicated "To Jane A. Delano and the 296 nurses who died in the War — 1917–1918." She posthumously received the Distinguished Service Medal and in 1982 was inducted into the ANA Hall of Fame. WN WCU cannot guarantee employment. For graduation rates, median debt of graduates completing these programs and other important information, visit westcoastuniversity.edu/disclosures To learn more about West Coast University and apply for this exciting opportunity please visit our Employment Page at WestCoastUniversity.edu West Coast University is a private university with the singular focus of educating health care professionals through student-centric learning and transformational education. We are seeking adjunct faculty to teach clinical classes at our Southern California campuses in the following areas—Medical Surgical, Pediatrics, OB-GYN, Mental Health, Fundamentals, Simulation Lab, and NCLEX Review. Come be part of our growing team f Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (Masters of Science in Nursing degree preferred) f Active California RN license in good standing f Current BLS certificate and at least 3 years of clinical RN experience providing direct patient care f Teaching experience is strongly preferred, but RN's with completed BSN and or MSN will be considered Successful candidates will have these qualifications: West Coast University is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we seek candidates who desire to work in and serve an ethnically-diverse population.

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