The End of an Era

Abstract

AbstractThis historical reprint from Public Health Nursing (Ramsay, ) summarizes the history of public health nursing services rendered by the Red Cross from its creation in 1912 until their termination in June 1951. The author was a public relations writer for the Red Cross. The paper is historically important for it provides chronology and perspective on the role of the Red Cross institutionalizing public health nursing and home nursing care in the United States during the first half of the 20th century. Of note are the three nursing services through which the Red Cross operated, each denoting a particular time and focus. Although Jane A. Delano is credited with the creation of the Red Cross nursing service, the initial organization was called Rural Nursing Service and was led by Fannie Clement. Within a short time, however, the Town and Country Nursing Service was created in recognition that not all of the public health nursing provided by the Red Cross was rendered in rural settings. The final transformation came when the service was again renamed, this time to highlight its more fundamental mission, as the Red Cross Public Health Nursing Service. The article is reprinted in its entirety.