Florence A. Blanchfield
Encyclopedia
Col. Florence Aby Blanchfield (April 1, 1884 Shepherdstown, West Virginia
- May 12 1971 Washington, D.C.
) was superintendent of the Army Nursing Corps, from 1943 to 1947.
She was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal
in 1945.
She was awarded The Florence Nightingale Medal by the International Red Cross in 1951.
Training School in 1906.
She studied with Howard Atwood Kelly
, at Johns Hopkins Hospital
.
She was operating room supervisor at Southside Hospital and Montifiore Hospital, Pittsburgh.
In 1909, she was superintendent of a training school at Suburban General Hospital
, in Bellevue, Pennsylvania
.
In 1913, she worked as an operating room nurse and an anesthetist at the Ancon Hospital in the Panama Canal Zone
.
During World War I
, she enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps, and served as acting chief nurse, in Angers
, and Coëtquidan
, France
, from August 1917 to January 1919.
She was assigned to many military hospitals.
In 1935, she was assigned to Washington D.C. to the office of the superintendent, for personnel matters in the corps.
She became assistant superintendent in 1939, acting superintendent in 1942, and superintendent on 1 June 1943 until September 1947.
She was instrumental in gaining full rank for nurses, by the Army and Navy Nurse Corps Law of April 16, 1947.
She was buried in Arlington National Cemetery
in section 21, site 641.
was given named for her in 1982.
Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Shepherdstown is a town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States, located along the Potomac River. It is the oldest town in the state, having been chartered in 1762 by Colonial Virginia's General Assembly. Since 1863, Shepherdstown has been in West Virginia, and is the oldest town in...
- May 12 1971 Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
) was superintendent of the Army Nursing Corps, from 1943 to 1947.
She was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
in 1945.
She was awarded The Florence Nightingale Medal by the International Red Cross in 1951.
Life
She graduated from Southside HospitalUPMC Mercy South Side Outpatient Center
UPMC Mercy South Side Outpatient Center is a outpatient and urgent care facility of UPMC Mercy that provides, among other services, diagnostic imaging, same-day surgery, laboratory work, and physicians offices to the residents of Pittsburgh's South Side neighborhood...
Training School in 1906.
She studied with Howard Atwood Kelly
Howard Atwood Kelly
Howard Atwood Kelly was an American gynecologist. He was one of the "Big Four" founding professors at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Howard Atwood Kelly (February 20, 1858 – January 12, 1943) was an American gynecologist. He was one of the "Big Four" founding professors at Johns Hopkins Hospital....
, at Johns Hopkins Hospital
Johns Hopkins Hospital
The Johns Hopkins Hospital is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland . It was founded using money from a bequest by philanthropist Johns Hopkins...
.
She was operating room supervisor at Southside Hospital and Montifiore Hospital, Pittsburgh.
In 1909, she was superintendent of a training school at Suburban General Hospital
Allegheny General Hospital
Allegheny General Hospital is a large urban hospital located at 320 East North Avenue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Allegheny General Hospital, also known locally by the acronym "AGH!", is located in the Central Northside neighborhood of Pittsburgh...
, in Bellevue, Pennsylvania
Bellevue, Pennsylvania
Bellevue is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, along the Ohio River, adjoining Pittsburgh. The population was 8,370 at the 2010 census. The borough was incorporated in 1867. It is located in the Northgate School District...
.
In 1913, she worked as an operating room nurse and an anesthetist at the Ancon Hospital in the Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, she enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps, and served as acting chief nurse, in Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
, and Coëtquidan
Coëtquidan
Camp Coëtquidan is a French military educational facility located in Guer, Morbihan département, in Brittany, France...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, from August 1917 to January 1919.
She was assigned to many military hospitals.
In 1935, she was assigned to Washington D.C. to the office of the superintendent, for personnel matters in the corps.
She became assistant superintendent in 1939, acting superintendent in 1942, and superintendent on 1 June 1943 until September 1947.
She was instrumental in gaining full rank for nurses, by the Army and Navy Nurse Corps Law of April 16, 1947.
She was buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
in section 21, site 641.
Legacy
Colonel Florence A. Blanchfield Army Community Hospital in at Fort Campbell, KentuckyFort Campbell, Kentucky
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astraddle the Kentucky-Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Clarksville, Tennessee...
was given named for her in 1982.
External links
- "Col. Florence Blanchfield, Advocate for Military Nurses", Working Nurse, Suzanne Ridgway,
- "Florence Aby Blanchfield", West Virginia Encyclopedia