Frontier Nursing Service delivery logs
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Frontier Nursing Service delivery logs
- Date
- 1925-1976 (inclusive)
- Extent
- 1.35 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Midwifery -- Appalachian Region
- Midwives -- Appalachian Region
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged alphabetically.
- Preferred Citation
- 96m9: [identification of item], Frontier Nursing Service delivery logs, 1925-1976, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Mary Breckinridge founded the Frontier Nursing Service (FNS), originally known as the Kentucky Committee for Mothers and Babies, in rural Leslie County, Kentucky, in 1925. To that mountain area, Breckinridge brought a background and professional training that enabled her to establish and maintain a unique health care organization.
- A member of a distinguished Kentucky family, Breckinridge began her nursing career in 1907, following the loss of her first husband. The death of her two small children, Polly and Breckie, during a second marriage had a profound and lasting influence. Breckie's death in 1918, particularly, motivated her toward the care of young children. As a spokeswoman for the Children's Bureau in 1918, Breckinridge traveled throughout the United States gathering information and speaking on the welfare of children. Following the First World War she affiliated with the American Committee for Devastated France, whose mission was to aid the French people in recovering from the horrors of war. Working alongside British nurse-midwives and French midwives, Breckinridge realized the worth of combining the two professions -- nursing and midwifery.
- After her return to the United States, Breckinridge spent the next years formulating a plan for her life's work. She continued her education at Teacher's College, Columbia University, taking courses in public health nursing. Breckinridge then spent the summer of 1923 investigating the conditions of midwifery in three Kentucky counties: Leslie, Knott, and Owsley. Returning to Europe, she studied midwifery at the British Hospital for Mothers and Babies and then traveled to the Scottish Highlands to observe the operation of the Highlands and Islands Medical Service.
- Having observed the success of nurse-midwives in France, England and Scotland, Breckinridge pioneered the concept in the United States. The Frontier Nursing Service held its initial meeting on May 28, 1925, at the Capitol Hotel in Frankfort, Kentucky. Executive officers, articles of incorporation, by-laws, and a quarterly publication provided the group with the standard trappings of a viable organization. Breckinridge dedicated her time and efforts to establishing her organization with the local residents as well as developing a national network of loyal friends -- members of the city committees -- who remained supporters through the years.
- Scope and Content
- The Frontier Nursing Service delivery logs (dated 1925-1976; 1.35 cubic feet; 3 boxes) comprise delivery logs filled out by the Frontier Nursing Service attending midwife in a standard, pre-printed midwife log book. For each delivery, the midwife recorded the name and address of the patient; patient's age; date and time of the child's birth; whether the child was full term or premature; complications or stillbirths; and condition of mother and child. If a doctor was called for assistance, the doctor's name was recorded. The log books include a column for midwife remarks. In earlier logs, this column was used to record payment by the patient. In later logs, it was used to record whether a drug was administered during delivery, specifying the drug and its dosage. Logs from the mid-1970s on have all this information in addition to columns recording prenatal visits. Notable outposts include Beech Fork; Bowlingtown; Brutus; Flat Creek; Confluence; Homeplace: Hyden; Red Bird; Somerset; and Wendover. Note that the Red Bird outpost's log for 1940-1955 was reported missing by the FNS and therefore not present in this collection.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- This collection has been restricted until 2031 due to the presence of personal identifying information. l) Materials are accessible only with the permission of the the Director of Research Services or appropriate archivist. 2) Researchers must complete a manuscript restrictions form before access will be granted. 3) The identification of any names of patients or their place of residence in any manner is prohibited. 4) Materials may not be photocopied, microfilmed, digitized, or reproduced in any manner.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center. Materials may not be photocopied, microfilmed, digitized, or reproduced in any manner.
Contents of the Collection
Beech Fork delivery log, 1927-1937
Beech Fork delivery log, 1938-1945
Bowlington delivery log, 1930-1942
Brutus delivery log, 1930-1940
Brutus delivery log, 1940-1949
Flat Creek delivery log, 1929-1940
Flat Creek delivery log, 1941-1953
Confluence delivery log, 1927-1937
Confluence delivery log, 1938-1946
Homeplace (Ary, Kentucky) delivery log, 1969-1970
Hyden delivery log, 1942-1945
Hyden general registers, 1925-1933
Hyden general registers, 1933-1938
Hyden general registers, 1938-1942
Hyden Hospital, 1928-1941
Hyden Hospital, 1941-1945
Red Bird delivery log, 1928-1939
Somerset delivery log, 1974-1975
Somerset delivery log, 1975-1976
Somerset delivery log, 1976 March-April
Wendover delivery log, 1926-1941
Wendover delivery log, 1942-1961
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Table of Contents
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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
