Navy nurses practice close order drill in front of the National Naval Medical Center’s tower, circa 1944.
The Navy Nurse Corps will celebrate its 100th birthday Sunday. In honor of this historical milestone, several activities commemorating Navy Nurses were recently held in the National Capital Area.
The Surgeon General’s Speaker Series featured Dr. Jennifer Telford April 29 in the National Naval Medical Center’s Memorial Auditorium. Telford’s presentation was entitled ‘‘Care Amidst Shortage — the Relationship between the American Red Cross and the Navy Nurse Corps during World War I.” She also spoke about the 100 year history of the Navy Nurse Corps and featured a pictorial review.
Navy Surgeon General Vice Adm. Adam Robinson, Jr., said Telford’s lecture serves as an important lesson for Navy Medicine in order for it to learn, grow and be ready for what the future holds.
‘‘We know that time changes all things and what we once thought was dogma, is no longer the case,” he said. ‘‘When we are reminded of the advancements the Nurse Corps and military medicine have made over the last 100 years, we will be more likely to continue making strides.”
Telford, who started her career with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Connecticut, is a graduate of Yale University with a Master of Science degree and received her Doctorate from the University of Virginia.
Jan Herman, Navy Medical Department historian and Navy Medicine Magazine editor, said nurses have crossed and broken down barriers over the last 100 years.
Speaking of Telford’s accomplishments, Herman said, ‘‘The fact that the ‘Doctor is a Nurse’ shows that nurses today have gone beyond patient care and now have many different roles.”
National Naval Medical Center’s Director for Nursing Capt. Susan Dionne said it’s appropriate that the 100th birthday should occur at this time when so much is changing not only in Navy nursing and Navy Medicine, but military medicine as a whole. With the upcoming integration between Walter Reed and Bethesda, nurses are moving in an unprecedented and pioneering direction.
‘‘These are very exciting times for Navy nursing,” she said. ‘‘Not only do we have the rich heritage of the last 100 years to look back on, we also have the next 100 years to look forward to further growth and development.”
A 100-year Gala Birthday Ball was held Saturday at the Crystal City Marriott. Active duty and retired nurses flew in from all over the country for the occasion.
A cake-cutting ceremony will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. in the National Naval Medical Center’s Bldg. 10 lobby.
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