Women Leaders in Nursing in the Progressive Era—Wald, Dock and Nutting

This research presents an historical analytic exploration of Progressive Era women leaders in nursing, their perceptions of the world and their profession, the plans they made to bring about changes within their professions and how they used relationships to assist with making these change. this research traces the development of overlapping networks that were social and professional from early members of charity organizations and nursing organizations. The three women who are the focus of this research—Lillian Wald, Lavinia Lloyd Dock and Adelaide Nutting—were resolute in their goals to improve the lives of people of all ages—educationally, physically, economically, socially, and spiritually—and in seeking justice, civil rights, and opportunities for those who lacked the power, knowledge, and skills to help themselves. Additionally, the women struggled to be accepted as full-fledge professionals in their fields because it was difficult for women to have access to all levels of higher education that were available to men. They cared for people in the inner city area of New York City who might not otherwise have received care. They taught classes, trained nurses and nursing educators, gave lectures, raised funds for schools and projects, and fought for legislation to protect their clients’ rights and welfare, even before they, themselves could vote. All of these women led remarkable lives, and their legacies are embedded in nursing, nursing education, and public health nursing today. Their names should be more than historical footnotes or asides in the history of progressive education.