South Carolina Nurses Association records

Collection

Identifier: L2016-33

Staff Only
Not requestable

Scope and Contents of the Records

The records of the South Carolina Nurses Association (SCNA), 1892-2015, encompass a wide array of materials including books, minutes, membership data, correspondence, annual reports, constitutions, newsletters, financial records, scrapbooks, grant applications, scholarships, feasibility reports, and more. These records, primarily generated by the Executive Office, encompass all facets of SCNA's operations, shed light on SCNA's roles in aiding members, advocacy in legislative matters, and educating the public about nursing.

SCNA’s correspondence, reports, and materials documenting their constituency in the American Nurses Association (ANA) include convention and conference planning and presentations as well as delegate nominations, elections and member surveys. Documentation of the SCNA’s proposition, planning, development, and advancements of the Primary Care Nurses Council, the Gerontological Council, the Council of Psych/Mental Health as well as the efforts of the Committee on Maternal/Infant Mortality, Mental Health Coalition and the Infant Mortality Task Force is included. 

Studies conducted by the SCNA like the Multigenerational Conflict Study, funded by a Center for American Nurses grant, along with continuing education curriculum including disaster and bioterrorism preparedness manuals, presentations on topics such as mental health and drug use with pregnancy as well as their Australian Nurse Exchange project are contained in the records. The SCNA newsletter, Palmetto Leaves, produced and distributed by the organization between 1941 and 1949 can be found in this collection.

Collaborations with Washington Nurses Association, Oregon Nurses Association, the Ohio Nurses Association, joint meetings and shared events with organizations such as the Student Nurses Association of South Carolina, Charleston Public Health Nursing Association, and the Practical Nurses Association of South Carolina. Programs documenting the 50th, 75th and Centennial celebrations of the SCNA areas also included. A unique feature of the collection is a early 20th century nursing uniform.

The South Carolina Nurses Associates records offer insight into the evolution of the association, advancements in the nursing profession, including collaborative efforts, legislative initiatives, and community outreach. The collection features materials from interest groups, trainings, and public health nursing papers. Two books documenting the early days of the nursing profession and the earliest inception of a central registry for nurses in the state of South Carolina that informed the formation of the SCNA are also included.

Dates

Creation: 1892-2015

Creator

South Carolina Nurses' Association (Organization)

Restrictions on Access

Collection is open for research use.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Georgia State University is the owner of the physical collection and makes reproductions available for research, subject to the copyright law of the United States and item condition. Georgia State University may or may not own the rights to materials in the collection. It is the researcher's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and obtain permission from the copyright holder before publication, reproduction, or display of the materials beyond what is reasonable under copyright law. Researchers may quote selections from the collection under the fair use provision of copyright law.

History of the South Carolina Nurses Association

The South Carolina Nurses Association (SCNA), established in 1907, is a professional organization focused on elevating nursing standards, advancing nurses' welfare, and enhancing healthcare. A member of the American Nurses Association (ANA) since 1911, SCNA unites registered nurses through local districts, making them full members of both SCNA and ANA, with representation in their respective House of Delegates.

SCNA's history involves the role of women in shaping nursing policy and legislation. The SCNA supported nurses during wartime, produced reports and newsletters, facilitated employment services, promoted workplace organizing, aided statewide nursing education planning, awarded scholarships, assisted nurses with personal issues, and maintained a private-duty nurse registry. Originating as the South Carolina Nurses State Association, it gained a state charter in 1932 as the South Carolina Graduate Nurses Association. Renamed the South Carolina State Nurses Association in 1944 and later the South Carolina Nurses Association in 1965, it actively contributed to the evolution nursing law and serves as an example of women pioneering the medical profession.

The October 1907 Columbia gathering of nurse alumnae, led by Miss Jean Kay, aimed to establish a permanent organization for registering graduates from reputable state nursing schools. This led to the advocacy for nurse registration, culminating in the passage of the South Carolina Nurse Practice Act in 1910. Over time, SCNA played a pivotal role in creating the State Board of Nursing in 1935, facilitating licensing expansions, including practical nurses and advanced practice nurses by producing reports and newsletters, facilitating employment services, promoting workplace organizing, aiding in statewide nursing education planning, awarding scholarships, and assisting nurses with personal issues.

With 22 founding nurses, including Ruth Bennett Reeves, SCNA's membership grew from 266 members between 1908 and 1919 to about 1200 by 2004 and still growing. The organization's decision-making evolved from general membership votes to the establishment of the House of Delegates in 1972. This body represents diverse nursing roles, including those beyond traditional registered nursing.

Governance of the organization has otherwise remained consistent with the Board of Directors hosting an annual meeting in which the organization's Chapter Officers are sworn into office. Chapters include the APRN, Acute Care Nursing, Nurse Educator, Psychiatric-Mental Health, and Women and Children’s Health. According to their website the The SCNA continues to be led by the philosophy that "nursing is a professional discipline and an essential service in meeting the health care needs of patients as individuals, groups, or communities."

Extent

19.5 Linear Feet (16 containers)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The South Carolina Nurses Association (SCNA), established in 1907, is a professional organization focused on elevating nursing standards, advancing nurses' welfare, and enhancing healthcare. Its history involves the role of women in shaping nursing policy and legislation. The SCNA records, 1892-2015, encompass a wide array of materials including books, minutes, membership data, correspondence, annual reports, constitutions, newsletters, financial records, scrapbooks, grant applications, scholarships, feasibility reports, and more. These records, primarily generated by the Executive Office, shed light on SCNA's roles in aiding members, advocacy in legislative matters, and educating the public about nursing.