Finding aid for the Greater Cleveland Nurses Association Records, Series III


Repository: Western Reserve Historical Society
Creator: Greater Cleveland Nurses Association
Title: Greater Cleveland Nurses Association Records, Series III
Dates: 1920-1999
Dates: 1981-1999
Extent: 27.00 linear feet (28 containers and 2 oversize volumes)
Abstract: The Greater Cleveland Nurses Association (f. 1900), one of 27 districts of the Ohio Nurses Association encompassing Cuyahoga and Geauga Counties, is an organization for nurses offering informational, educational, involvement and leadership development opportunities. The mission of the organization is to be a "dynamic organization whose mission is to work for the improvement of health care for all people in significant and visible ways, to foster high professional standards and to promote the professional development of nurses." The organization provides educational opportunities at quarterly district meetings and other events and is an active participant in legislative hearings about health care issues as well as providing other avenues for political action regarding nursing and health care. They have worked with other agencies such as the Nursing Roundtable, Health Systems Agency, and WomenSpace on various initiatives. The organizational structure of the Greater Cleveland Nurses Association has evolved over the years and such a change that occurred in 1993 is documented in this collection. The collection consists of advertisements, agendas, annual reports, brochures, budgets, bylaws, charts, correspondence, financial information, forms, journal articles, lists, magazine articles, manuals, membership applications, memoranda, minutes, newsletters, newspaper clippings, notes, photographs, reports, scrapbooks, and surveys.
MS Number MS 5085
Location: closed stacks
Language: The records are in English

History of the Greater Cleveland Nurses Association

The Greater Cleveland Nurses Association (f. 1900), one of 27 districts of the Ohio Nurses Association encompassing Cuyahoga and Geauga Counties, is an organization for nurses offering informational, educational, involvement and leadership development opportunities. The mission of the organization is to be a "dynamic organization whose mission is to work for the improvement of health care for all people in significant and visible ways, to foster high professional standards and to promote the professional development of nurses."

The organization provides educational opportunities at quarterly district meetings and other events and is an active participant in legislative hearings about health care issues as well as providing other avenues for political action regarding nursing and health care. They have worked with other agencies such as the Nursing Roundtable, Health Systems Agency, and WomenSpace on various initiatives. The organizational structure of the Greater Cleveland Nurses Association has evolved over the years and such a change that occurred in 1993 is documented in this collection.

The Greater Cleveland Nurses Association, District #4 of the Ohio Nurses Association, has grown out of a number of organizations which formed to promote the nursing profession in Cleveland, Ohio. On May 28, 1900, a group of women met to establish an association of nurses practicing in Cleveland. This group, which became known as the Graduate Nurses' Association, had as its objectives to "improve the standard of the profession of trained nursing in Cleveland and elsewhere and to improve the conditions affecting the members in the prosecution of their profession, to raise a fund for the purpose of furnishing nurses to deserving persons unable themselves to pay in full for the services of nurses, to stimulate an interest in nursing affairs and to conduct a central registry."

The central registry was a major activity of the Association after it opened for calls in February of 1901. With fifty-five nurses enrolling the first year, the registry provided both hospitals and private patients in the community with trained nurses, and continued to do so until its closing in 1974.

Three years after its incorporation in 1909, the Association moved its headquarters to a house at 2100 East 40th Street. This property had been purchased by the Isabel Hampton Robb Memorial Committee to provide a clubhouse for the Association in honor of Isabel Hampton Robb, a leader in the nursing profession and a member of the Graduate Nurses' Association until her death in 1910. The headquarters of the Association were at three subsequent locations, including the Cleveland Nursing Center on Euclid Avenue from 1920 to 1942.

In November of 1917, another group of nurses met to organize District #4 of the Ohio State Graduate Nurses' Association which would include the Cleveland area. In June of 1918, the Graduate Nurses' Association agreed to merge with the newly-formed District #4. Another group which joined District #4 was the Visiting Nurse Club of Cleveland (later the Thursday Social Club and Public Health Club) which disbanded so that its members could join District #4.

In 1921, when the District filed new articles of incorporation, it stated its purpose as "the study of more efficient care of the sick, and the participation in the solution of all problems relating to the health of the community; the advancement of the educational standards of nurses, the maintenance of the honor and character of the nursing profession and the establishment of reciprocity between graduate nurses of Ohio and other states and countries."

These objectives are reflected in the varied interests and activities of the Association over the years. The Association has continually worked with other health care and community service agencies to sponsor projects such as health awareness fairs and immunization programs. It has also taken an active interest in the educational standards of area nursing school programs.

In the 1930s, the Association was concerned with advancing its profession by calling for the establishment of a nursing division in the State Department of Health. It also worked at this time for proper salary and position recognition of public health nurses and for the establishment of an eight-hour day for private duty nurses working in hospitals.

In the 1940s, the Association became involved in the defense movement, working with agencies such as the American Red Cross and the Ohio Council of Defense to ensure that adequate nursing was available for both military personnel and civilians.

Throughout the years the Association has supported nurses working in specialized areas of the profession, establishing committees to meet their particular interests, including Industrial Nursing and Public Health Committees, a Psychiatric-Mental Health Practice Division (established in 1971), the Nurse Practitioner and Cardiovascular Nursing Conference Groups.

Activities in the 1970s reflected the Association's concern for the promotion of the role of the nurse and the study of the health care situation in the community. In 1973, the Association initiated the organization of the Greater Cleveland Joint Professional Practice Committee, designed to bring together representatives from medicine and nursing to discuss the roles of the physician and nurse. In 1975, the Association's Council on Practice completed a study entitled "Identification of Current and Extended Nursing Practice in Hospitals in Greater Cleveland," providing insight into the nurse's current role in health care.

The Greater Cleveland Nurses Association continues to function as a district of the Ohio Nurses Association, and remains active as a professional organization with a vital interest in the health care situation of the community.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Greater Cleveland Nurses Association


Scope and Content

The Greater Cleveland Nurses Association Records, Series III, 1920-1999 and undated ( bulk dates 1981-1999), consist of advertisements, agendas, annual reports, brochures, budgets, bylaws, charts, correspondence, financial information, forms, journal articles, lists, magazine articles, manuals, membership applications, memoranda, minutes, newsletters, newspaper clippings, notes, photographs, reports, scrapbooks, and surveys.

This collection is of value to researchers studying nursing in general and Clinical Nursing more specifically in the United States, Ohio, and the Greater Cleveland, Ohio, area. It focuses on the Greater Cleveland Nursing Association, the Ohio Nurses Association, and American Nurses Association, of which Greater Cleveland Nurses Association is an affiliate. This material includes data about both the internal structure and employment activities of these organizations. Information about these agencies, their role in public education on nursing and health issues, and information about legislators and nurses collaborating on laws related to nursing practice is covered in these files. Newsletters and other public relations material of nursing organizations and other health agencies in Ohio are also present in this collection. The membership files containing demographic characteristics of members of nursing organizations in the Greater Cleveland area are also of note.


Statement of Arrangement

The collection is arranged in eight series.
Series I: Board of Directors is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
Series II: District Meetings is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
Series III: Administrative Subject Files is arranged in three sub-series.
Sub-series A: American Nurses Association is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
Sub-series B: Greater Cleveland Nurses Association is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
Sub-series C: Ohio Nurses Association is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically. .
Series IV: Committee and Special Interest Groups Files is arranged in two sub-series.
Sub-Series A: Committee Files is arranged alphabetically by committee name and then chronologically.
Sub-series B: Special Interest Groups Files is arranged alphabetically by special interest group name and then chronologically.
Series V: Outside Agency Files is arranged alphabetically by agency name and then chronologically.
Series VI: Membership Files is arranged in six sub-series.
Sub-series A: Applications is arranged alphabetically by last name of applicant.
Sub-series B: Applications is arranged chronologically.
Sub-series C: Lapsed Membership Files is arranged alphabetically by last name of lapsed member.
Sub-series D: Deceased and Special Membership Files is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
Sub-series E: Membership Survey Files is arranged chronologically.
Sub-series F: Membership Committee Files is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
Series VII: Public Relations Files is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
Series VIII: General Subject Files is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.

Restrictions on Access

None.

Related Material

The researcher should also consult MS 3866 Greater Cleveland Nurses Association Records; and MS 4317 Greater Cleveland Nurses Association Records, Series II.

Separated Material

Photographs directly attached to reports and membership applications were retained with the collection. All other photographs have been removed to PG 581 Greater Cleveland Nurses Association Photographs. Video tapes have been removed to the Audio/Visual collection.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

American Nurses Association.
Greater Cleveland Nurses Association.
Nurses -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Nursing -- Law and legislation -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Nursing -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Societies, etc.
Nursing -- Vocational guidance -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Ohio Nurses Association.
Professional associations -- Ohio -- Cleveland.

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5085 Greater Cleveland Nurses Association Records, Series III, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Gifts of the Greater Cleveland Nurses Association in 1989, 1990, 1993, and 2000.

Processing Information

Processed by Rosemary Miller in 2011.

Detailed Description of The Collection

Series I: Board of Directors 1973-1997

Box Folder
1 1 Board and committee chair sharing 1989
1 2 Committee orientation 1985-1987
1 3 Leadership retreats 1991-1994
1 4-28 Minutes 1976-1982
Box Folder
2 1-27 Minutes 1982-1990
Box Folder
3 1-16 Minutes 1990-1997
3 17-25 Orientation manual 1973-1992

Series II: District Meetings 1976-1999

Box Folder
3 26-27 Correspondence 1988 1990
Box Folder
4 1-2 Correspondence 1991-1994
4 3-25 General files 1978-1989
Box Folder
5 1-19 General files 1990-1994
5 20 Honoring 50/25 Year Members 1977 1986
5 21-26 Minutes 1976-1989
Box Folder
6 1-6 Minutes 1984-1996 1999
6 7-16 Mock hearing 1988-1989

Series III: Administrative Subject Files 1969-1999

Sub-series A: American Nurses Association 1981-1995

Box Folder
6 17-25 American Journal of Nursing Board Review 1984-1989
Box Folder
7 1-2 American Journal of Nursing Board Review 1989-1990
7 3 American Journal of Nursing Faculty 1984-1985
7 4 Commission on Organizational Assessment and Renewal 1988
7 5-6 Correspondence, incoming 1986-1987
7 7 Correspondence, outgoing 1986-1987
7 8 Hearings 1995
7 8 House of delegates 1990
7 9 Membership 1987
7 10 National Commission on Nursing 1981 1990 1995
7 11 National Council for Licensing Exam Reception 1987
7 12 Public Policy Committee 1987

Sub-series B: Greater Cleveland Nurses Association 1969-1999

Box Folder
7 13-14 Annual reports 1969-1980 1982-1991
7 15 Applications for board appointments 1993-1994
7 16 Assets 1984
7 17 Audit information 1979-1990
7 18 Board nominations 1995
7 19 Bylaws 1991
7 20 Committee binder 1994
7 21 Committee goals and budget requests 1988
7 22 Committee service hours 1994
7 23-32 Correspondence, incoming 1978 1986-1987
Box Folder
8 1-27 Correspondence, incoming 1987-1992
Box Folder
9 1-7 Correspondence, incoming 1992--1993
9 8-28 Correspondence, outgoing 1986-1991
Box Folder
10 1-30 Correspondence, outgoing 1987-1992
Box Folder
11 1-10 Correspondence, outgoing 1992-1995
11 11-12 Miscellaneous administrative documents 1972-1993
11 13 Organizational manual 1996-1999
11 14-19 Policies and procedures 1976-1977 1980-1982 1989-1991
11 20 Registering trademark for job fair 1981-1983
11 21 Role of state board in control of nursing practice 1981
11 22 Staffing analysis and committee chair orientation 1983-1988
11 23-27 Strategic planning 1982-1993
Box Folder
12 1-4 Strategic planning 1982-1993

Sub-series C: Ohio Nurses Association 1976-1994

Box Folder
12 5 Bylaws 1993
12 6 Communications committee 1988
12 7-18 Convention materials 1979 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993
12 19-20 Correspondence, incoming 1986-1987
12 21 Correspondence, outgoing 1986
12 22 Council on practice 1981
12 23 Delegates and peer assistance 1978-1981
12 24 Delegates' night 1983-1985
Box Folder
13 1 Delegates' night 1989
13 2 Delegates' records 1985
13 3 Heritage committee 1987-1990
13 4-6 Hosting committee 1987
13 7 Hosting manual 1991
13 8 Legislative committee 1983
13 9-10 Membership 1989-1994
13 11 Miscellaneous documents 1967-1986
13 12 Nominating committee 1980-1983 1991
13 13 Nurse practice act 1976
13 14 Ohio Coalition of Nurses with Specialty Certification 1994
13 15 Parliamentary workshop for delegates 1973-1975
13 16 Political action committee 1990
13 17 Report of officers and directors 1993
13 18 Special meeting 1986

Series IV: Committee and Special Interest Group Files 1967-1998 undated

Sub-series A: Committee Files 1967-1998 undated

Box Folder
13 19-20 Bylaws Committee 1967 1977-1978 1986-1991
13 21-23 Communication Committee 1986-1992
13 24-27 Community Affairs Committee 1992-1996
13 28 Conference Planning Committee 1987-1988
Box Folder
14 1-3 Continuing Education Committee 1988-1991
14 4 District Structure Committee 1988
14 5-10 Finance Committee 1979-1982 1986-1992
14 11-12 Human Rights Committee 1979-1991
14 13-23 Job Fair Committee 1982-1991
Box Folder
15 1-13 Job Fair Committee 1987-1994 undated
15 14-23 Legislative Committee 1980-1990
Box Folder
16 1-23 Legislative Committee 1986-1993 1998
16 24 Nominating Committee 1986-1987
16 25 Nursing Education Committee 1983-1985
Box Folder
17 1-10 Nursing Education Committee 1985-1991
17 11-12 Nursing Service Committee 1985
17 13-14 Professional Development and Practice Committee 1981-1997
17 15-20 Program Committee 1980 1985-1991
17 21 Registered Nurses and the Fate of City Clinic Committee 1990
17 21 Resource Development Committee 1989
17 22 Search Committee 1993

Sub-series B: Special Interest Group Files 1979-1992

Box Folder
17 23 Child Health 1985-1992
Box Folder
18 1 Community Health 1980-1989
18 2-4 Gerontological Practice 1979 1981 1986 1988
18 5 Medical-Surgical 1989-1991
18 6-7 Nurses Against Nuclear Weapons 1983-1991
18 8 Nurses For the Environment 1991-1992
18 9 Psychiatric -Mental Health 1991-1992

Series V: Outside Agency Files 1966-1995 undated

Box Folder
18 10 American Association of School Administrators-Benjamin Rose Institute 1972-1992
18 11 Children's Oncology Service of Northeast Ohio- Cleveland Commission on Higher Education 1974-1993
18 12 Cleveland Corporate Challenge- Cleveland Regional Perinatal Network 1986-1992
18 13 Cleveland State University Baccalaureate Nursing 1980-1990
18 14 Cleveland Urban Area Health Education Center 1980-1982
18 15 Coalition of Professional Nurse Associations 1979-1985
18 16 Commission on Graduates of Foreign Schools- Cuyahoga County Children's Trust Fund 1978-1988
18 17 Cuyahoga County Commissioners 1977-1983
18 18 Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare Federal Requirements- Diabetes Association 1978-1985
18 19-20 Federation for Community Planning Commission on Health Concerns 1979-1980 1983-1988
18 21 Governor's Council on Physical Fitness-Greater Cleveland Association of Nurse Recruiters 1980-1987
18 22-23 Greater Cleveland Coalition on Health Care Cost Effectiveness 1978-1982
18 24 Greater Cleveland Hospital Association 1981-1985
18 25-26 Greater Cleveland Nursing Roundtable 1980-1992
Box Folder
19 1 Hattie Larlham Foundation- Health Care Management Seminar 1986 undated
19 2-5 Health Systems Agency of Northeast Ohio 1985-1992
19 6 International Council of Nurses- Lakeland Anesthesia Group 1981-1987
19 7 New Cleveland Woman- Northeast Ohio Practitioner Group 1987-1995
19 8-9 Ohio Board of Nursing Education 1979-1987 1990-1992
19 10 Ohio Bureau of Employment Services- Ohio Citizen's League for Nursing 1982-1993
19 11 Ohio Dept of Mental Health- Planned Parenthood 1984-1993
19 12 Public Health Council 1983-1992
19 13 St. Augustine-Sunny Acres 1966-1992
19 14 Templum-University Hospital 1985-1990
19 15 Veterans Administration-Vietnam Veterans 1980-1990
19 16 Visiting Nurse Association- Vocational Forecast Letter 1980-1987
19 17 Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging- Women Business Owners of the Western Reserve 1984-1990
19 18 Women's City Club 1988-1993
19 19 Women's Community Foundation- Women's Roundtable 1978-1992
19 20-22 WomenSpace 1981-1992

Series VI: Membership Files 1920-1999

Sub-series A: Applications Arranged Alphabetically 1934-1991

Box Folder
19 23 Last Names, A-Be 1944-1991
Box Folder
20 1-23 Last names, Ben-Z 1934-1992

Sub-series B: Applications Arranged Chronologically 1920-1993

Box Folder
20 24-25 Applications arranged chronologically 1920-1949
Box Folder
21 1-16 Applications arranged chronologically 1950-1993

Sub-series C: Lapsed Membership Files 1920-1991

Box Folder
21 17-26 Last names, A-Kri 1920-1991
Box Folder
22 1-9 Last names, Ku-Z 1927-1991
22 10 Lapsed Membership lists 1985-1990

Sub-series D: Deceased and Special Membership Files 1922-1991

Box Folder
22 11-12 Last names, B-S 1922-1991
22 13-14 Special membership files 1929-1990

Sub-series E: Membership Survey Files 1983-1999

Box Folder
22 15-23 Membership survey files 1983-1984 1989 1993 1999
Box Folder
23 1 Membership survey files 1999

Sub-series F: Membership Committee Files 1979-1999

Box Folder
23 2-17 General committee files 1979-1999
23 18-19 Involved Nurse Award 1979-1990

Series VII: Public Relations Files 1958-1995

Box Folder
23 20 Award Nominations 1958-1993
23 21-22 Celebration of Passage of the Nurse Practice Act 1988
23 23-25 Escapade in the Arcade 1985 1987
Box Folder
24 1-2 Escapade in the Arcade 1987
24 3-5 General Files 1978-1994 undated
24 6 Newsletters, American Nurses' Association, Convention Journal 1974
24 7-18 Newsletters, Greater Cleveland Nurses Association, The Voice 1966-1995
24 19 Newsletters, Medina County Nurses Association 1985
24 19 Newsletters, Mid-Ohio Nurses Association 1989-1994
24 20 Newsletters, National League for Nurses 1986-1992
24 21 Newsletters, Northeast Ohio Association of Occupational Health Nurse 1984-1989
24 21 Newsletters, Northeast Ohio Coalition for National Health Care 1992
24 21 Newsletters, Northeast Ohio Practitioners Group 1993
24 21 Newsletters, Nurse Educational Funds, Inc. 1984
24 22 Newsletters, Nursing Home Advisory and Research Council Inc. 1981-1991
24 23 Newsletters, Ohio Coalition of Nurses with Specialty Certification 1992-1994
24 23 Newsletters, Ohio Nurses Association District 10, Dayton 1990-1991
24 24 Newsletters, Ohio Nurses Association, District 3, Youngstown 1989-1993
Box Folder
25 1-2 Newsletters, Ohio Nurses Association, Lorain, Stark and Carroll, Summit and Portage, and Toledo Districts 1989-1993
25 3-4 Newsletters, other states' nursing associations 1984-1994
25 5 Newsletters, Sigma Theta Tau 1981-1990
25 5 Newsletters, Society for the Prevention of Violence 1986-1989
25 6 Newspaper clippings 1978
25 7 Public Relations Workshop 1988
25 8 Publicity Committee 1983-1994
25 9 Scrapbook, (oversize material removed to Oversize Volume 1) 1985-1987
25 10 Scrapbook, (oversize material removed to Oversize Volume 2) 1987-1989
25 11-14 Speaker's Bureau 1982-1986 1988 1991-1992

Series VIII: General Subject Files 1973-1993

Box Folder
25 15-26 Clinical Nurse Practitioner files, conferences 1978-1991
Box Folder
26 1-7 Clinical Nurse Practitioner files, conferences 1985-1988
26 8-9 Clinical Nurse Practitioner files, correspondence and literature 1990-1993
26 10 Clinical Nurse Practitioner files, legislation 1979-1980
26 11-12 Clinical Nurse Practitioner files, literature 1990-1993
26 13 Conference and workshop files, Alcoholism: An Update 1979-1980
26 13 Conference and workshop files, Chemical Dependency and the Nurse 1984
26 14 Conference and workshop files, Clinical Intervention in the Disoriented Elderly Person 1980
26 14 Conference and workshop files, Clinical Nursing Conference 1993
26 15-16 Conference and workshop files, Community Health Aids conference 1986
26 17 Conference and workshop files, Computers in Clinical Nursing Practice 1984
26 17 Conference and workshop files, Genetic Issues in Patient Care 1981
26 18 Conference and workshop files, Nurse's Role in Assuring Patients' Rights 1981
26 18 Conference and workshop files, Nursing Preparation for Community Disaster 1981
26 18 Conference and workshop files, School Nursing 1980-1981
26 19 Conference and workshop files, Self-Esteem: Necessary for Personal and Professional Survival 1991-1992
26 20 Conference and workshop files, Staff Nurse by Choice not Chance 1990-1991
26 20 Conference and workshop files, Using Behavioral Principles in Community Health Nursing 1981
26 21-23 Council on Practice 1986-1991
26 24 Goodtime tour information 1989-1991
26 24 History of Public Health Nursing article 1985
26 25 Information on meeting sites 1980-1990
26 26-27 Issues files, Aids 1985-1989
Box Folder
27 1 Issues files, Aids 1985-1989
27 2 Issues files, Health Hazards in the Work Environment 1990
27 3 Issues files, Nursing Home Care and Quality 1981-1987
27 4 Issues files, Nursing Shortage 1981-1987
27 5-7 Issue files, Nursing Shortage 1988-1989
27 8 Miscellaneous information 1973-1983 undated
Box Folder
28 1-2 National League for Nursing 1989-1991
28 3 Northeast Ohio Association of Occupational Health Nurses 1988-1991
28 4 Research Projects, Breast Cancer and Women's Health 1987-1991
28 4 Research Projects, Nursing Employment Turnover 1990
28 4 Research Projects, Political Activity of Practicing R.N.s (registered nurses) 1986-1987