Keeping the Spirit Alive

Working at Johns Hopkins and reviewing our history is a poignant reminder of the vision, passion, and risk taking that is needed to drive healthcare reform. As we struggle with our challenges and also seize our opportunities, I look to inspiration and motivation from those who have gone before me and those around me. Anna D. Wolfe is a figure larger than life in the history of Johns Hopkins Nursing. In 1919, she was the foundation dean of the first college-level nursing program in China at the Peking Union Medical College School of Nursing. In 1940 she succeeded Elsie M. Lawler as the superintendent of nurses and principal of the Johns Hopkins Hospital Training School for Nurses. She was a tireless advocate for increasing the educational preparation of nurses within the academy. Wolf’s vision and determination to raise education and patient-care standards have fueled the mission of Johns Hopkins Nursing.

Keeping the spirit alive in a fearless and determined mission of recognizing the role of nurses is Jacqueline Campbell, who holds the Anna D. Wolfe Chair in the School of Nursing at Johns Hopkins University. Jacquelyn Campbell is a global leader in research and advocacy in the field of domestic violence or intimate partner violence. Her studies and determination have paved the way for a growing body of interdisciplinary investigations by researchers in the disciplines of nursing, medicine, and public health. Her expertise is frequently sought by national and international policy makers in the adverse health effects of violence on women, families, and communities. Elected to the Institute of Medicine in 2000, Campbell also was the Institute of Medicine/American Academy of Nursing/American Nurses’ Foundation Senior Scholar in Residence and was founding co-chair of the IOM Forum on the Prevention of Global Violence.

(Pictured above from left to right: Dr. Martha Hill, Dr. Jacquelyn Campbell, Dean Patricia Davidson)

Each of these exceptional women and nurses share a common characteristic and are part of the history of Johns Hopkins Nursing. Fearless determination and courageous leadership. Challenging the status quo and advancing the profession of nursing are important messages to consider during Women’s History Month. It is also a reminder of the responsibility we have as nurses to care for individuals, families, and communities.

-Patricia Davidson