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Tradition of Care: School of Nursing... Virginia Ohlson, Conferment of Precious Crown Butterfly

   
In 1951, Ohlson returned to Hiroshima at the invitation of the Atomic Bomb Casualty Committee (ABCC) to aid in research being conducted on the effects of radiation on the civilians’ health. Through her work she was appointed Chief of Nursing Affairs in the army and served eight years in Japan. In 1991, Dr. Virginia Ohlson was awarded the Butterfly of the Third Order of the Precious Crown by his Majesty the Emperor of Japan for her work to improve Japanese nursing education. The award was presented at a gala held at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where Professor Emeritus Ohlson, had founded the Public Health Nursing master’s program in the 1970s.

 
Virginia Ohlson, Program. Third Order of the Precious Crown Butterfly
award conferment by Emperor of Japan. 1991
Print Document, 4.5” x 6”.
Courtesy of Joan Zetterlund

The exhibit Tradition of Care: School of Nursing – Swedish Covenant Hospital to North Park University traces the history of nursing education using photographs, artifacts, and ephemera from the North Park and Covenant collections along with items on loan from friends of the nursing programs.  It is on display in the lower level of Brandel Library throughout the summer and fall of 2011. 

Tradition of Care: School of Nursing... Part 31 - Virginia Ohlson, Public Health Champion

 

Virginia Ohlson grew up in Albany Park and remembered fondly listening to her aunt tell stories about her job as a nurse.  One of the greatest influences on Virginia Ohlson's career choice was Ruth Nordlund, friend of the Ohlson family and public health nurse. Virginia was inspired by Nordlund who provided care for people in their homes and helped patients’ families learn how to care for them. She decided that was what she also wanted to do. Virginia Ohlson entered Swedish Covenant Hospital School of Nursing in 1934 after her high school years at North Park Academy and a year at North Park College. When Ohlson graduated in 1937, she worked a year at Swedish Covenant Hospital in the operating room before being hired by the Evanston Department of Health.  
 
Virginia Ohlson.
Photographic Print, 5” x 3”.

 

 

 

 

In 1955, she earned her MSN from the University of Chicago, where she taught from 1956 to 1960. While completing her doctorate degree at the University of Chicago, Ohlson was named Associate Professor and Director of Public Health Nursing at University of Illinois at Chicago. In 1971, Ohlson was appointed Interim Dean of the UIC College of Nursing where she founded The Office of Global Health Leadership (GHLO).  She also played a pivotal role in making the college the first WHO Collaborating Center for Primary Health Care in 1986.

April 10, 2010, marked the passing of the extraordinary personage Dr. Virginia Ohlson, PhD, RN. She died at the age of 95 after a life filled with amazing accomplishments.

Virginia Ohlson, O. T. Roberg, et. al. Chicago. [1940]
Photographic Print, 11” x 8.5”.
Courtesy of Ted Roberg

The exhibit Tradition of Care: School of Nursing – Swedish Covenant Hospital to North Park University traces the history of nursing education using photographs, artifacts, and ephemera from the North Park and Covenant collections along with items on loan from friends of the nursing programs.  It is on display in the lower level of Brandel Library throughout the summer and fall of 2011. 

Tradition of Care: School of Nursing... Part 30 - The Pins

This nursing pin for the Swedish Covenant Hospital School of Nursing was presented to a student some time before 1969 when the last class graduated. 

   
 

  
From 1968 to 1996 the pin was inscribed North Park College, Chicago.  The College pin was earned by Linda Bengtson who graduated in 1969.   

 

 

Since 1997 the pins read North Park University School of Nursing. The University pin is from 2010 nursing graduate Allison Tierney Halvorson.

 

 

Schools of Nursing, Swedish Covenant Hospital, North Park College/University. Nursing Pins. Chicago, ca. pre 1969, 1968, 2010.
Courtesy of Kris Bruckner, Linda Bengtson Duncan, and Allison Tierney Halvorson.

The exhibit Tradition of Care: School of Nursing – Swedish Covenant Hospital to North Park University traces the history of nursing education using photographs, artifacts, and ephemera from the North Park and Covenant collections along with items on loan from friends of the nursing programs.  It is on display in the lower level of Brandel Library throughout the summer and fall of 2011. 

 

Tradition of Care: School of Nursing... Part 28 - Pinning Ceremonies

The first graduating class of North Park College nurses received their pins and stand solemnly with lit candles at the pinning ceremony in Isaacson Chapel in May 1968.  The pinning ceremony is held to welcome newly-graduated nurses into the profession. The ceremony includes a message from a speaker and the presentation of awards and pins to new nurses by the faculty of the nursing school. The nurses recite a version of the Nightingale Pledge:
I solemnly pledge myself….
to practice my profession faithfully…
to do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession…and to dedicate myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.

Pinning Ceremony. North Park College. 1968
Covenant Archives and Historical Library 13044

The exhibit Tradition of Care: School of Nursing – Swedish Covenant Hospital to North Park University traces the history of nursing education using photographs, artifacts, and ephemera from the North Park and Covenant collections along with items on loan from friends of the nursing programs.  It is on display in the lower level of Brandel Library throughout the summer and fall of 2011. 

Tradition of Care: School of Nursing... Part 27 - Graduation Ceremonies

Completing nursing education to continue the tradition of care has been marked through the years with meaningful and joyous ceremonies at Swedish Covenant Hospital and North Park. The commencement exercises of the Swedish Covenant Hospital School of Nursing class of 1938 were held at North Park Covenant Church on a Wednesday evening in May. The class consisted of seventeen nurses from eight different states and Canada. In keeping with tradition, they chose a class flower, color, hymn, and a class motto: Not for self, but Others.

  
Swedish Covenant Hospital School of Nursing. Commencement Program. Chicago, 1938.
Print Document, 5.5" x 7".
Courtesy of Swedish Covenant Hospital Foundation

  
The exhibit Tradition of Care: School of Nursing – Swedish Covenant Hospital to North Park University traces the history of nursing education using photographs, artifacts, and ephemera from the North Park and Covenant collections along with items on loan from friends of the nursing programs.  It is on display in the lower level of Brandel Library throughout the summer and fall of 2011.   

 

 

Tradition of Care: School of Nursing...Part 26 - North Park School of Nursing, Nursing and Seminary

In collaboration with North Park's Theological Seminary, the School of Nursing also offers a 12-credit certificate in Faith and Health. This certificate is designed to provide core concepts to support clergy and health professionals in ministries of health. The program is taught by faculty from nursing, theology, ethics, Bible, and pastoral care, and learnings can be applied in both clinical and congregational settings. Options in course format include one-week intensive classes on campus, online classes and also allows for distance learning.

North Park University Theological Seminary. Nursing and Seminary brochure. Chicago.

The exhibit Tradition of Care: School of Nursing – Swedish Covenant Hospital to North Park University traces the history of nursing education using photographs, artifacts, and ephemera from the North Park and Covenant collections along with items on loan from friends of the nursing programs.  It is on display in the lower level of Brandel Library throughout the summer and fall of 2011.

Tradition of Care: School of Nursing...Part 25 - North Park School of Nursing, Masters in Nursing

The Master of Nursing curriculum, the Post-master's program and the Dual-degree in Nursing and Business Administration were initiated in the 1990s.  And in 1997 when North Park College changed to North Park University to reflect increased breadth and depth as an educational institution, the nursing program became the School of Nursing. Today there are over 430 students enrolled in the School of Nursing, and 13 full time faculty members.

  
North Park University. Master of Nursing informational brochure. Chicago, 1993.

The exhibit Tradition of Care: School of Nursing – Swedish Covenant Hospital to North Park University traces the history of nursing education using photographs, artifacts, and ephemera from the North Park and Covenant collections along with items on loan from friends of the nursing programs.  It is on display in the lower level of Brandel Library throughout the summer and fall of 2011.

Tradition of Care: School of Nursing... Part 24 - Delores Johnson Nursing Laboratory, continued

 
 
North Park College. Delores H. Johnson Memorial Nursing Laboratory. Chicago, 1981.
Photographic Print, “8.5 x 6”.
Covenant Archives and Historical Library 13786

 
North Park University. Current Nursing Laboratory. Chicago, 2011.
Digital Photograph, 8” x 5”.
Covenant Archives and Historical Library 13798 

In the first photograph a student works in the newly constructed nursing laboratory in Carlson Tower in 1981. The second photograph shows the laboratory as it continues to serve nursing students today. Advanced technology is incorporated into courses and in practice settings nationwide. North Park nursing students currently use state-of-the-art simulation mannequins in the laboratory. As a result of grants from foundations and the Illinois Board of Higher Education, computerized human patient simulators (Sim-Man and Sim-Baby) were purchased, along with video equipment that allows for video-taping and debriefing sessions, and plans are in place for expansion.

The exhibit Tradition of Care: School of Nursing – Swedish Covenant Hospital to North Park University traces the history of nursing education using photographs, artifacts, and ephemera from the North Park and Covenant collections along with items on loan from friends of the nursing programs.  It is on display in the lower level of Brandel Library throughout the summer and fall of 2011. 

 

Tradition of Care: School of Nursing... Part 23 - Delores Johnson, Nursing Laboratory

In 1981 the Delores H. Johnson Nursing Laboratory was opened on the 5th floor of Carlson Tower.  Before then students relied solely on the hospital for opportunities to practice nursing skills.  When the laboratory was under consideration a recent graduate stated that, although she had earned her degree, she never performed some basic nursing skills for a lack of opportunity to practice them.  The dedication program from December 1981 honors Delores H. Johnson, first chairperson of nursing education…, teacher, colleague, friend, and sister in Christ.  Johnson died a year before the laboratory opened.

North Park College. Delores H. Johnson Memorial Nursing Laboratory Dedication Program. Chicago, 1981.
Print Document, 8.5” x 11”.
Courtesy of Joan Zetterlund

Tradition of Care: School of Nursing... Part 22 - Delores Johnson, North Park's First "Dean" of Nursing

 
Delores Johnson is considered a cornerstone of the North Park School of Nursing. She was born and raised in Jamestown, New York and completed graduate work at University of Illinois at Chicago.  In 1964 she began her tenure at North Park College as the Coordinator of the Nursing Program, with the daunting task of creating a nursing curriculum for a collegiate program and hiring nursing faculty.  She was best known for her efforts to secure accreditation for the program and for hiring nursing faculty with doctoral degrees. Under her leadership the nursing program grew to be one of the biggest programs offered at North Park College.

 In 1969 the school received accreditation by the National League of Nursing.  Responding to student demand, the Bachelor of Science completion program was designed in 1979 to serve registered nurses who wanted to earn a bachelor degree in nursing.  The nursing laboratory was built in Carlson Tower in 1981 to help prepare students for the clinical setting.

Delores Johnson was honored as the first recipient of the Paul W. Brandel Professor of Nursing Chair. In 1980 North Park College appointed her professor emeritus. Delores Johnson retired that same year due to failing health and moved back home to Jamestown, New York. She passed away a few months later at the age of 62.