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Contributor
American Hospital Association
Contributor Institution
Illinois Wesleyan University
Creation Date
Summer 8-18-1943
Document Type
Correspondence
Description
This letter, written on August 18, 1943, by the American Hospital Association (AHA), was sent to hospital administrators to stress the urgent need for more nurses during World War II. It explains how there was a serious nursing shortage and encourages hospitals to help with recruitment efforts for the United States Cadet Nurse Corps, a program created under the Bolton Act. The AHA, along with the Catholic Hospital Association and the American Protestant Hospital Association, wanted hospitals to serve as information centers where potential nursing students could learn more about the program. The letter makes it clear that training more nurses was crucial for keeping people healthy, caring for the sick, and supporting the war effort. It also talks about how media, local organizations, and hospitals could help spread the word. The goal was to recruit 65,000 student nurses across the country, showing just how important it was for hospitals to take part in the campaign.
Primary Source Analysis
The letter from the American Hospital Association (AHA) to hospital administrators on August 18, 1943, shows just how serious the nursing shortage was during World War II. It stresses how important it was for hospitals to help recruit student nurses for the United States Cadet Nurse Corps. This response to the wartime healthcare crisis really shows how national emergencies can impact nursing. The letter encourages hospitals to work as information hubs and team up with groups like the Catholic Hospital Association and the American Protestant Hospital Association. This kind of teamwork was so important to tackling the huge healthcare challenges they were facing. The goal of recruiting 65,000 student nurses shows just how urgent the situation was and how much hospitals needed to step up to make sure there were enough nurses.
Rights
For rights information, contact Tate Archives & Special Collections at archives@iwu.edu.
Source
School of Nursing - Cadet Nurse Corp Program, Jun-Dec 1943