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VCU Health Sciences Library
Special Collections and Archives 509 N 12th StDillon Thomas
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Virginia League for Nursing records, 1919-2002, Collection 1985-12-019, Special Collections and Archives, Health Sciences Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.
Donated by the Virginial League for Nursing, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1995.
Significant weeding was conducted of accessioned materials, removing primarily duplicate materials. Material unrelated to the VLN or its operations were weeded as well. Construction of the existing order of the collection was based upon existing content labels where possible. Sub-Series 1 retains the original order in which the material was accrued in the 87/May/5 accession.
The Virginia League for Nursing (VLN) is an affiliate of the National League for Nursing (NLN) whose mission is the promotion of excellence in nursing education and building of "a strong and diverse nursing workforce to advance the nation's health." Virginia nurses organized their league in 1917 following the call of the National League of Nursing Education (NLNE) for creation of state-based groups. The fledgling Virginia State League of Nursing Education addressed the concerns of nurse educators in the Commonwealth and promoted the NLNE's groundbreaking publication Standard Curriculum for Schools of Nursing. Despite their efforts the Virginia group failed to take hold as a separate organization and decided to disband in 1924. From 1924 until 1938 nurse educators worked within the Education Section of the Graduate Nurses Association of Virginia to elevate standards and provide resources for those instructing nursing studentsnurses.
By 1938 Virginia nurse educators had organized again and the NLN accepted the group as a constituent member under the name, Virginia League of Nursing Education (VLNE). The league held annual meetings across the state and promoted new national standards as they emerged in the period following World War II. In 1952 the nursing profession merged its five professional organizations into two with the National Organization for Public Health Nursing and the Association for Collegiate Schools merging with the NLNE to form the newly-named National League of Nursing (NLN). The Virginia league followed and changed their name to the Virginia League for Nursing.
In 1960, the VLN began awarding annual scholarships for two to four nursing students attending accredited Virginia educational programs who exemplified the organization's ideals. VLN awarded these scholarships in partnership with the Allstate Foundation beginning in 1968. The VLN scholarship program has expanded over the years and now supports students at all levels from practical nursing programs to doctoral education.
VLN furthers the work of the national organization through its annual meetings, workshops, and outreach activities. The organization reports annually to the NLM on its operations and programming to advance the overall goals of the NLN in Virginia. Membership of the VLN initially consisted of primarily of nursing professionals, particularly educators. As the League grew, it shifted its membership recruitment efforts toward potential nurses, consumers, and others who supported quality education for nursing.
A list of past VLN presidents can be found here (Link) .
A list of the VLN's past annual meetings can be found here (Link) .
Sources:
VCU Libraries Gallery, History of Nursing, Highlights in Nursing (Article Link) .
Virginia League for Nursing, VLN Documents, Virginia League for Nursing Bylaws (Article Link) .
The Virgina League for Nursing (VLN) records are comprised of materials documenting the management of the VLN. The materials offer insight into the logistical and financial operations of the VLN, as well as annual records and statistics of how the organization changed over the years of its operation. While the VLN and its predecessor organizations have existed since 1917, the contents of this collection comprise primarily of material dating from 1966-2000. Additional material from outlying years exists within the collection, but are not significant enough in volume to fully represent of the VLN's actions during that time. Additional material such as membership lists, board meeting minutes, and financial records from the VLN and its predecessors for the years 1919-1942 can be found in the Virginia Nurses Association records (1986-05-05).
Series 1: Organizational Files, 1919-2002, comprises the bulk of the collection. It consists primarily of administrative reports, guidelines, and membership statistics. The VLN annual meeting files constitute a significant portion of the series. These files include materials related to the execution and planning of the meetings such as correspondence to event guests or venues, schedules, minutes, promotional posters and pamphlets, committee reports, and follow-up surveys.
Each VLN annual meeting had a featured talking point. Featured topics represented in the collection include the 1988 meeting discussing the ethics of treating HIV/AIDS patients during the AIDS epidemic, 1981's nursing shortages and legislative solutions to them, and 1995s feature on the rapidly-evolving role of nurses in the field and the implications for future practice. The VLN held annual meetings annually since its founding as the Virginia State League of Nursing Education in 1919, with the exception of 1925-1937 when the organization was disbanded. The VLN records only contain the annual meeting files from 1971-1999; annual meeting materials prior to these dates are not represented in the collection.
The series also includes annual membership committee reports and lists. The reports contain membership statistics which indicate periods of growth and reduction in members. The lists provide details about members . The membership records also include member lists from the VLN's predecessor organization, the including the nursing schools they attended and where they practiced. There are also member lists for the VLN's predecessor organization, the Virginia State League of Nursing Education for 1919.
Meeting minutes also form a large portion of this series. These files contain meeting minutes from various board meetings and committee meetings. The minutes provide insight into the issues and concerns of the organization and how they were handled. Minutes highlight various topics such as proposed amendments to bylaws, standing budgets, workshop and lecture planning, and the conferring of honorary membership. Some minutes reports include detailed descriptions of events, while others remain simplified. Examples of talking points and bylaw resolutions include the official establishment of the VLN's position to support the establishment of Health Service Area boundaries in Virginia in the 1975 minutes and resolutions. Another example of a topic of discussion was regarding the VLN's official establishment of the definition and requirements to be considered qualified as a nursing administrator by the VLN in the 1980 board meeting minutes and resolutions. The minutes represented in the collection range from 1987-1997, leaving a significant gap in the record for meetings prior to and after these dates.
Additionally, several files are present from the VLN's Allstate Scholarship committee. These files include materials used for the selection of scholarship recipients such as guidelines, student applications, applicant correspondence, committee reports, nursing program verifications, and scholarship budgets. The materials provide insight into the students who applied for the scholarship, the criteria upon which beneficiaries were selected, and the evolution of the scholarship over time. Applications from students are filled out in a standard format and contain information about applicants' professional goals, interest in nursing, and knowledge of the VLN. Additionally, several applications include letters of recommendation or confirmation from their respective places of study.
Series 2: Correspondence, 1966-1992, consists primarily of correspondence by and to the presidents of the VLN. The files are arranged by topic and author where applicable. Of note are the files of correspondence kept and organized by former VLN president Vida S. Huber. The Huber correspondence is arranged by correspondent, which includes various U.S. Congressmen, VLN board members, and VNA officials.
Series 3: Financial Records, 1939-1994, consists of materials documenting the funding, budget, and investments of the VLN. These materials include finance ledgers, expense reports, corporate proposals, check stubs, and reports from the finance committee. The financial records provide a detailed perspective into the expenditures of the VLN and how funds were allocated from membership dues and donations to resources which benefitted members and scholarship applicants. Regularly seen in the materials, funds were regularly allocated for services such as newsletter publication, annual meeting rental invoices, and NLN constituent dues.
Materials of note include full annual expenditure reports accompanied by ledgers. One ledger is for the expenses of the VLN's predecessor organization, the Virginia League for Nursing Education, in 1939. Other materials of note include fidelity bond contracts and corporate proposals from finance management solutions company, The Cate Corporation. Additionally, the series includes government forms and applications made on behalf of the VLN; the forms primarily are to maintain tax exemption status and reports to the state corporation commission.
Series 4: Photographs and Slides, 1969-1993, consists of photographs of the VLN's annual conventions with featured speakers and guests. Additionally, the series includes slide presentations from VLN events on select topics of discussion such as vaccination and organization growth. One such presentation also includes an audio cassette recording of the presentation's speakers. The photographs of the annual conventions show specific members in a candid manner while participating in the VLN's activities. The presentation slides and audio recording identify the VLN's objectives and state of being at the time of the presentations.
The collection is organized into four series and one subseries. Each series and subseries is arranged alphabetically by topic. Contents of folders are arranged chronologically. Sub-Series 2.1, Annual Records Accession, 1960-1980, retains its original order upon accession to retain context; material is arranged by year and subject as it existed in the orignal records binder maintained by the VLN.