As emergency medicine emerged as a specialty in the 1970s, emergency nurses recognized that their work not only addressed critical conditions requiring urgent intervention but also addressed social issues. Throughout the 1970s to the 1990s, emergency nurses developed new models of care to address these issues, including workplace violence protocols and disaster preparedness plans. This work-in-progress presentation presents an initial examination and case study of Philadelphia, drawing on records from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, the National League for Nursing, Loretta C. Ford, and Mary Starke Harper. Finally, this presentation reflects on the use of nursing history to inform ongoing health systems issues in emergency departments. |
