An Analysis of Trends in American Nursing from a Feminist Perspective (1870-1988)

University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository Doctoral Dissertations Student Scholarship Winter 1989 Changes by accident or design: An analysis of trends in American nursing from a feminist perspective (1870-1988) Gloria Giaveno Straughn University of New Hampshire, Durham Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation Recommended Citation Straughn, Gloria Giaveno, "Changes by accident or design: An analysis of trends in American nursing from a feminist perspective (1870-1988)" (1989). Doctoral Dissertations. 1599. https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation/1599 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS The most advanced technology has been used to photograph and reproduce this manuscript from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, pri.it bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand corner and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. University Microldms International A Beil & Howell Information Company 300 Norm Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor Ml ■18106-1346 USA 313 761-4 700 800 521-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Order Number 9022644 Changes by accident or design: An analysis of trends in American nursing from a feminist perspective (1870-1988) Straughn, Gloria Giaveno, Ph.D. University of New Hampshire, 1989 UMI 300 N. ZecbRd. Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHANGES BY ACCIDENT OR DESIGN: AN ANALYSIS OF TRENDS IN AMERICAN NURSING FROM A FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE (1870-1988) GLORIA GIAVENO STRAUGHN BSN School of Nursing, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 1970 MPH School of Public Health, Department of Mental Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 1973 DISSERTATION Submitted to the University of Nev? Hampshire in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology December, 1989 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. This dissertation has been examined and approved. Dissertation director, Lawrence C. Hamilton, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sociology Professor of Sociology /£7h- .— . s f S Walter Buckley, PhS-TT Professor of Sociology I Roland B. Kimball, Ed.D., Professor of Education Y £- <■- i j j j ---------- Helen Morrison. Ed.D., Developmental Psychologist 12 It h December 7, 1989 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to My beloved Godparents, Aunt and Uncle, Mary Louise Giaveno White (1917-1980) Leonard Tremayne White (1922-1988) for their unconditional love and support. You are missed. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are so many people to thank for helping me finish this dissertation that the list could form its own chapter. I hope that I will not forget anyone, but that is surely a possibility. For that I am sorry; please understand. First and foremost I want to thank my husband, Bill, for his love support, patience and caring. I could never have come this far without him. He not only supported me with words and deeds of love, but he also shopped, cooked, cleaned, computed, ran endless errands, etc.. I could go on forever. In essence, he was there as my partner for over twenty years. My children, Celka and Ian, did the same. They gave me their love and support, ate "micro meals", typed references, did laundry, baked their own cookies, and said over and over again that they were proud of me. You know how proud I am of you, and how much I love Daddy and you. Stanford and Phillips Exeter don't know what gems they have. Well, perhaps they do. An Oreo to Tremayne, my "data" dog and a "Pounce" to Hosmer, my "computer" cat, I know I haven't been much fun lately. My parents-in-law, Connie and Bill Straughn were a constant source of understanding and practical wisdom. My mother, Celka, and my grandmothers, were a secret source of strength. Their lives were never easy or peaceful, but they endured and triumphed. My father, Aldo, in his own way, gave his support and love. My godparents, my aunt "Weasel Mary" and "Gentle" Uncle Lennie were the constants in my life. My only regret is that they are not here to share these moments with me. My other family members, Dorothy, Jim, Art, Carol, Tate, Grant, Linda, Charlie and Kevin, the newest, always believed in me and were convinced that I could do it. Although at times, they wondered why. My "small circle of friends" also helped to make all of this possible, usually by bailing me out of some disaster. For this I thank you all. I thank especially, April Carty, RN, BSN, who is not only a true friend, but one who read and commented on every draft of this dissertation. Now it's your turn, April. Kate Pope gave me not only the great gift of friendship, but her Word Perfect skills as well. Ferial and Fayez Moussa, Arthur and Linda Starr, Judy and Tom Bisett, Frank and June Gallinaro, Ursula and Etienne Prothon, Judy and Joe Capobianco, Annie and Bob Lavoie, Cherie and Mitch Schwartz, Ellen and Ken Brookes, Wes and Jean Duling, and all of their families, loved and cared for me and my family. They fed us, chauffeured our children, ran errands, and so much more. Most of all they gave us all manner of support and iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. assistance. I want to give special thanks to two groups of women who mean a great deal to me and who taught me two important "facts of life": that feminism isn't just an ideology or a movement; it is a positive way of life; and that caring is more than just an abstract concept; it is a learned behaviour; and it is an integral part of nursing and teaching. Thank you to my nursing and teaching colleagues and friends: the CMC Level I, II and III nursing faculty, April Carty, RN, BSN (again) , Sister Magdala Keefe, RN, BSN RSM, Mary Ellen Letvinchuk, RN, BSN, M.Ed., Patty O'Rourke, RN, BSN, Carmen Petrin, RN, BSN, and Lorraine Pelkey, RN, BSN; and the NEC "Women and Work" group: Sabra Welch, RN, MSN, Betsy Alexander, PhD, Carolyn Picciano, MA, and Jocelyn Sanders, AB. Continuing on the academic side, I want to thank my early mento7.-s, Anne Fishel, RN, PhD, Nora Cline, RN, MSN, Dorothea Leighton, MD, and Bert Kaplan, PhD. You taught me, pushed me, and inspired me along the way. I also want to thank several member of the UNH Sociology Department for making my time in the department a positive learning experience. Thank you Arnold Linsky, PhD, for the tea, the early morning seminars and sharing your knowledge and expertise in medical sociology. Thank you Peter Dodge, PhD, for always trying to "fit me into" the teaching schedule in a way that my needs could be met as well as the department's needs. A very special thank you to Sally Ward, PhD, for the many talks, the "hand-holding", and most of all for being an outstanding role model as female faculty member. Thank you also to Deena Pescke; you always made things work. The members of my doctoral committee deserve the most sincere thanks for not just for "going the distance", but for the years they devoted to teaching me, nurturing me, and believing in me. Thank you, Larry Hamilton, PhD, for forcing me to .not only learn statistics, but to teach it. Thank you also for your friendship and endless patience. A very important "thank you" also goes to Leslie Hamilton, Larry’s "other voice". You and your family made these years a joy. Thanks are more than in order for Murray Straus, PhD, Walter Buckley, PhD, and Chuck Kimbal, Ed.D. You helped me to grow professionally and supplemented my clinical skills with research skills. You helped me to become a sociologist. You were also the finest role models of academic excellence that any student could have. For Helen Morrison, Ed.D, "the ringer" and "queen of an antiquarian book empire", see what advertising got you.

Load more