Loretta Ford was a nurse who co-founded the first nurse practitioner program in the United States.
- Died: January 22, 2025 (Who else died on January 22?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 104.
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Loretta Ford’s legacy
Ford was working as a visiting health nurse in Boulder County, Colorado when she saw a need for a new role. In the 1940s and ‘50s, doctors were few and far between in the rural communities of Colorado, and nurses tried to fill the gaps as much as they could. Those nurses worked hard to meet the medical needs of their communities, but sometimes they lacked necessary specialized training.
In 1965, Ford joined with Dr. Henry Silver, a pediatrician, to develop a new program at the University of Colorado offering post-graduate advanced training to nurses. This became the first nurse practitioner program, and it quickly proved its worth, especially in areas underserved by physicians. By the 1980s, nurse practitioner programs had become increasingly common nationwide. Today, in many areas of the U.S., nurse practitioners are empowered to provide primary care, filling a need in both rural and urban settings.
Having helped change the face of patient care, Ford moved on in 1972 to become the founding dean of the University of Rochester School of Nursing in New York. At the same time, she worked at Strong Memorial Hospital as director of clinical nursing. While in the two positions, she developed the unification model of nursing, which emphasizes the relationships between education, research, and practice in the nursing field. Though she retired in 1986, Ford continued to consult and lecture regularly, including into her 100s.
Prior to her pioneering work, Ford served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, working as a nurse in base hospitals in the United States.
Notable quote
“I’ll tell you what I’m most proud of. I’m most proud of what the nurse practitioners are and have been doing and how they are our friends, in terms of the health of people. Because I haven’t met any nurse practitioners who are not just delighted with their role, and I think it’s helped nursing, so that we can help others. I’m more proud of that than anything.” — from a 2022 interview for Healthy Women
Tributes to Loretta Ford
Full obituary: University of Rochester
