The origins and history of the first public health/community health nurses in Louisiana, 1835-1927

Events and circumstances pertinent to the origins and history of the first public health/community health nurses in Louisiana were examined as that nursing specialty evolved through its responses to public health problems during 1835-1927. Public health/community health nursing responses to those health problems of Louisianans were considered against a background of political, economic, and social factors, including cultural factors.;The devastating yellow fever epidemics provided an impetus for the growth of nursing. The Howard Association, founded in 1833, the precursor to district nursing, provided food, medicine, and nursing care for yellow fever victims. Some of those lay nurses later became the first Red Cross nurses in the United States.;By 1889, the growing awareness by some of the need for educated nurses led to the establishment of the first training school. Those trained nurses, influenced by the progressive movement, obtained state licensure in 1912. Natural disasters such as the Mississippi River flood in 1927 resulted in accessible advanced public health education. Heretofore, many nurses learned through the apprentice system.;Community health nursing in Louisiana had its roots in maternal and child care. In 1913, Miss Ethel Holmes, RN, originated the idea of a free infant clinic in New Orleans that became known as the Child Welfare Association.;Persistent poverty and the poor education of most Louisianians adversely affected the evolution of public health/community health nursing. Furthermore, political corruption was commonplace and politicians were strongly influenced by the business community, most of whom were not interested in the public good or public health measures.;Public health nursing evolved out of community health nursing activities. Recognizing the need to improve infant and maternal mortality throughout the state, the state board of health employed the first public health nurse, Miss Eva Parker, RN, in 1916. Five years later the New Orleans Board of Health employed two nurses.;Although nursing reflected but did not control policy in the various agencies, those first public health/community health nurses were successful in reducing infant and maternal mortality, improving the health of preschool and schoolage children, and decreasing the mortality and morbidity of communicable diseases.