Mary Lincoln's And Mary Mahoney's Lasting Influence On Nursing
Although commonly unknown, Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of President Abraham Lincoln
, was one of the greatest nurses in the history of the United States. At the start of the Civil War many people were critical of the President's true loyalties because his wife was from the South.
However, early in her career Mary proved she was loyal to the union. She became well known for her great endurance as a nurse.
She was often found in the hospitals feeding, cleaning, and comforting the ill and wounded. One of the first stories of her involvement in the Civil War as a nurse was when she visited the Campbell Hospital.
Her visit camp right after the hospital had removed several limbs through amputation. As a result, the smell in the hospital was horrendous and the amputees were drenched in pain.
The smell and noise in the hospital at that moment was so great that many of the volunteers had to leave because they could not stand the smell and the noise, which made matters even worse. However, Mary stayed to comfort the amputees, applying wet rags to their foreheads.
She brought much comfort to those in that hospital that day and in many other hospitals throughout the union. Mary came from a rich family, so she never needed many skills in the terms of a career.
Many say she fit the role of mother, housewife and First Lady of the United States very nicely. However, while she was in the White House she developed a habit of going on extravagant shopping sprees.
This was a result from the fact that she felt their family needed to show stability as the head of union. However, most Americans were simply angered by her spending when so many Americans were so poor as a result of the war.
Unfortunately, the later death of her husband and a son as well as the stress from the Civil War broke her spirit. While it is unconfirmed, she suffered from depression later in life and some would say that she had the habit of participating in "insane" behavior.
However, after the Emancipation Proclamation 1863, she was also known for giving clothing and medical treatment to freed slaves. Her support of the freeing of the slaves was never doubted.
Another great nurse in American history was Mary Eliza Mahoney. Mahoney graduated from nursing school in 1879.
She is well known in part because she was the first African American nurse. Most black women of the time decided to go into domestic service, but Mary was looking for something different.
The first hospital she worked at was the New England Hospital for Women and Children, which was the first institution to provide nursing training. She gained much experience working here before she went to college.
Mary was one of only three to finish the challenging and very difficult 16 month program. Her influence on the nursing world spread, and she was invited to give the welcome address at the first conference of National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN) in 1909.
She also earned the Mary Mahoney Award in 1936 due to her contributions. Today the Mary Mahoney Award is given biennially to someone who has demonstrated or given much contribution to interracial relationships.
She graduated when she was 34 years old. After becoming a graduate nurse, she became a symbol of the power of African American women and what they could achieve. Her dedication and hard work also inspired the beginning of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses.
Mahoney helped found the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses in 1908. As she grew older, Mahoney used what she had learned throughout the years to help women pursue their educational and professional goals and supported their rights.
This greatly influenced the status of what nursing is seen as today. Mary Mahoney was known throughout the nursing world for her calm way of getting things done efficiently and her undying compassion for the ill and injured.
Patients were never disappointed when she cared for them. It is said that she was first interested in nursing as a teenager.
Today, the influence of pioneering nurses like Mary Mahoney and Mary Lincoln is seen in the quality medical care that we enjoy. Their contributions have gone a long way to saving thousands of lives.
Their work also brought much comfort and quicker recoveries to those who were recovering for injury or illness. The influence of these great women should never be forgotten.
by: Tom Selwick
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