History: VNS History Highlights
The Early Years 1913 - 1920
- Rapid expansion. In 1914 there were a total of 5,560 visits to patients. By 1920 total visits increased to 36,661
- One dollar, $5.00, $100.00 and Life Memberships were solicited. The Board also gave silver teas, operated a downtown lunchroom for one week, and launched numerous other fundraising campaigns in an effort to supplement income.
- Metropolitan Life Insurance Company provided a tremendous stabilizing force through the transfer of their old cases and the referral of new ones and brought much needed income to the agency.
- By 1915 staff had increased to nine Nurses!
- PHNA joined War Chest in 1919, which later developed into Community Chest, Inc. (Known today as United Way of Central Indiana)
Pictured here is a Public Health Nurse, the forerunner of Visiting Nurse Service, attending to an infant in the early years. In 1914, four of the nine nurses on staff were paid by the Children's Aid Association for infant care. This was an important phase of public health nursing and the forerunner of well baby clinics. |
Pictured here are: Jerald L. Manuals age 3, Linwood Manuals age 7 months and Betty Jane Blaylock age 2 months. All three children were cared for by VNS, then Public Health Nursing Association in the early years. |
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1921-1930
- By 1921 the Public Health Nursing Association (VNS) had become a vital part of the community. Collaboration with other agencies became the accepted practice.
- Pictured above is an example of the unsanitary conditions the Public Health Nurses found during this period. Nurses found outdoor toilets less than three feet from shallow wells that were a source of drinking water. Rats were numerous in many areas. Babies were found with their fingers bitten off by rats. PHNA presented a thousand cases of poor sanitary conditions to the City Health Department in 1921. The Division of Child Hygiene was then created in the Indianapolis Board of Health
- Crippled children's survey and services was undertaken with a grant from the Indianapolis Foundation. Over 700 visits were made to crippled children in 1923
- During this period 28% of all babies born in Indianapolis were born in their homes. In 1927 a 24-hour home delivery service was provided for the community.
- Expectant mother (prenatal) classes were started in 1929
Pictured here is "One of our premature babies" from this period |
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1931-1940
- Meet the challenge ".to provide more service for more patients with less food and fuel, as well as to provide employment for a surprising number of nurses who were frantically searching for employment." quote by Mary Roberts, PHNA Historian from 1931 - 1940.
- The nation's depression reduced the salaries of the entire staff by 22%
- Preschool conference (similar to well baby clinics) were started on funds from the Summer Mission for Sick Children
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1941 - 1950
- Through the PHNA nurses and support from the City Board of Education, 22 children, considered too crippled to attend regular school or the James E. Roberts School for Handicapped, were tutored during 1940-1941
- In 1947 The Public Health Nursing Association name was officially changed to Visiting Nurse Association of Indianapolis to avoid the connotation of government support implied by the word "public" in the Public Health Nursing Association.
- World War II reduced the staff to 27.
- Married nurses were "invited to return to work for the duration of the war"
- The Emergency Maternity and Infant Care Program, was offered in 1943 to provide care to wives and children of all enlisted men up to the rank of Technical Sergeant. In one month, July 1943, one hundred and ninety-four patients in this category had been seen.
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1951 - 1959
- The Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County signed an agreement to pay VNA for nursing care provided to patients under medical care of Indianapolis general hospital. (Known today as Wishard Hospital )
- In 1953 the John Hancock and Metropolitan Insurance Company discontinues nursing services, on a national basis, thus canceling contracts in effect since 1915 and 1925.
- Full-time nutritionist was employed in cooperation with Indiana Heart Foundation
- The Community Chest Agencies joined the United Fund of Greater Indianapolis, Inc.
1960 - 1969
- The Home Care Agency of Marion County was established. The agency utilized established services such as the Visiting Nurse Association to provide nursing care.
- VNA is the first home health agency in Indiana to receive Medicare certification.
- "Home Health Aides" are added to services available
- VNA Celebrates 50 years of services to Indianapolis
Pictured here is Barbara Owens, VNA nurse from 1968 - 1969 on one of her visits to the little girl's home. |
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1970 - 1979
- VNA is the first home health agency in Indiana to receive Medicaid certification
- Senior Companion Volunteer Program begins in 1977. 12 volunteers provide companionship to VNA clients
- VNA is the first home health agency in Indiana to receive State Board of Health Licensure
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1980 - 1989
- Respite Care Program established through a grant from the Division of Disability, Aging and Rehabilitation Services that still funds the program in 2003. The program's purpose is to provide temporary or emergency respite for primary caregivers of children and/or adults with developmental disabilities.
- 1984 Family Life Education Program. An intensive short term intervention program and teaching program by social workers for families who have had reported incidents of child abuse or neglect who are open to learning new behaviors for discipline, hygiene and nutrition. Program closed in 1996 due to lack of funding.
- In 1984 VNA forms two sister corporations: Visiting Nurse Home Care Foundation, Inc. and Home Care Services
- Later in 1984 Home Care Services is merged with Visiting Nurse Association. The name was officially changed to Visiting Nurse Service (VNS) to reflect the additional services available.
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1990 - 1999
- Children Cope with Divorce; a 4-hour seminar to educate parents of the effects of divorce on their children is launched in 1991.
- VNS 1 st Annual Bugbuster Flu and Pneumonia Shot Campaign takes place in 1992
- 1994 VNS is certified to provide Hospice services via Hospice of Central Indiana
- In 1991 the Crisis Nursery, a program targeted to prevent or diffuse a stress-related situation where the potential for child abuse, neglect and/or exploitation is imminent is started. The program offers short-term respite services for children.
- VNS survives the overhaul of health care reimbursement enacted through the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Nationwide one-third of home care agencies go out of business.
Rendering of the Abbie Hunt Bryce by A2SO4 Architecture |
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2000 - 2003 (Or 21 st Century)
- Research begins for the Abbie Hunt Bryce home, a residence designed to provide a home for the homeless with a terminal illness. The ground-breaking of the home is expected by June 2003
- In 2000 VNS forms an associate agency, At Your Service Home Care, Inc. to provide private duty home care needs.
- In 2002, after receiving a grant from the United Way , VNS launches the Latino Homemaker/Home Health Aide Training program to provide career opportunities in the Hispanic community.
- In 2003 VNS begins a Meningococcal (Meningitis) Vaccination Program
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