Center for the Study of the History of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania

MC 127   Association of Community Health Nursing Educators Records 1978 – 1999

Historical Sketch:

The Association of Community Health Nursing Educators (ACHNE) provides a meeting ground for professionals in community and public health nursing education, administration, research, and practice.  ACHNE has been led by elected members who have guided the organization in providing networking, educational opportunities, and professional advancement through curriculum development, leadership experience, and consensus building through committee work, publications, participation in the Quad Council presentation held during annual meetings of the American Public Health Association, and

an annual Spring Institute.

ACHNE developed out of informal meetings of public health nursing educators who gathered at annual meetings of the American Public Health Association (APHA) from 1974-1978.  On May 1, 1978,  a number of faculty attended a planned two-day (Did it begin on April 30?) Institute, on graduate education for public/community health education, at the Department of Public Health Nursing, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After an evening session, the attendees met to discuss the formation of a permanent society of teachers of community/public health nursing. 

After much debate, a resolution to establish the Association of Graduate Faculty in Community Health/Public Health Nursing (AGFCH/PHN) was unanimously accepted.  Dr. Virginia M. Ohlson, head of the Department of Public Health Nursing at the College of Nursing, University of Illinois--Chicago, was elected to be the first president.  By-laws were developed to establish an executive committee made up of officers, the immediate past president, the nominating committee chairperson, and two elected members-at-large, which was responsible for acting on behalf of the association between meetings of the membership.    

The aims of the association were to identify and explore issues relevant to the graduate preparation of community health/public health nurses; to formulate and disseminate recommendations relevant to graduate education in community health/public health nursing and practice; to assist in the development of quality graduate education programs and to stimulate research in community health and public health nursing.

Many of the group’s activities centered on its annual meetings that continued to be held in the fall during the annual meeting of the APHA.  By the 1980s, ACHNE had also initiated an annual Spring Institute, an educational and outreach program that included original research in the field of community health/public health nursing.  The committees continued their work throughout the year and  presented reports to the membership at the annual fall meeting.  The executive committee usually met twice a year, once at the fall meeting and again at the Spring Institute.

In 1986, the association changed its name to ACHNE to reflect the organization’s focus on education and community health/public health nursing.  In the same year, ACHNE reached out to formally include Canadian members.  Two years later, the organization had grown to include more than 330 CHN/PHN educators.

During the early 1990s, ACHNE joined with three other public health associations to form the Quad Council of Public Health Nursing Organizations (Quad Council) to address matters of mutual concern including public policy issues.  The other members of the Council are the Public Health Nursing Section of the APHA, the Association of State and Territorial Directors of Nursing (ASTDN), and the American Nurses Association Council on Nursing Practice.  ACHNE has remained active in the Quad Council whose work continues today.

ACHNE underwent structural refinements in 1990 to link officer, board of directors, and committee structures and to establish the regional members-at-large. The organization responded to the need for office space and support staff by contracting for membership services and programs.  From 1991-1994, ACHNE employed a firm in Lexington, Kentucky, to perform some of its office functions.  In 1994 it contracted with a service firm in Skokie, Illinois, and by 2004, the business office had been relocated to New York State.

Another innovation of the early 1990s was the Archives Committee.  In 1991, the Executive Committee appointed Marilyn King, DNSc., RN, University of Virginia School of Nursing, as Chair of the Committee with the charge to began working on a plan to collect the association’s records.  Following discussions with the Center for the Study of the History of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, the Center agreed to become the repository for ACHNE’s permanent records, and in November 1992, ACHNE’s board resolved to donate the association’s records to the Center. 

The Archives Committee, in association with Center staff, prepared an article for the organization’s Winter 1993 newsletter announcing the plan for the organizational archives.  The article listed the following types of documents as priorities for collection and preservation:

Minutes of annual meetings, board meetings, and committee meetings; organizational materials such as by-laws, membership lists, financial records, and membership letters and mailings; presentations and papers presented at ACHNE meetings; correspondence with ACHNE and with other organizations, etc.; reports from representatives to other groups, end of term officer summaries and/or memoirs (these latter are best if chatty and can be taped for later transcription); publications such as news letters and white papers; and any surveys done, including the raw data and any analysis of the data.

The article went on to discuss the committee’s interest in conducting an oral history project to collect interviews at some future date and to make the tapes and transcripts available to researchers. 

ACHNE members have continued to collect records of historical value.  The Center has accessioned eight shipments of records since the Archives Committee made its initial appeal in 1993.  Some of the shipments came directly from the Archives Committee; others from the business office; and from individual officers or members.  The initial accessions included papers and minutes gathered by founding members.  Other batches included publications such as newsletters (the Center’s set is now practically complete).  One of the largest bodies of material came from the past ACHNE president and committee chair, Dr. Marcia Stanhope, covering the years from 1991-1994.  More recently, the Archives Committee forwarded a collection of oral history tapes and transcripts of interviews with past ACHNE presidents, prepared by the committee for the organization’s 20^th anniversary celebration in 1998.

 (FYI: I followed Marilyn as Archives Committee Chair in 1993 and organized and carried out the oral history project through 1999.  I will continue as I will now again serve as Chair.) 

In 2003-04, Center staff surveyed the accessions of materials received from the organization and arranged their contents in the series listed below.

Description of Holdings:  This collection consists of records of the Association of Community Health Nursing Educators from its founding in 1978 through 1999.  Included are minutes of the executive committee , 1977-1997; treasurer’s files, 1987-1988; president’s files, 1978-1995; committee files, 1993-1994; administrative files, 1989-1994; annual meeting files, 1978-1993; Spring Institute files, 1980-1998; publications and printed matter, 1981-1998; oral histories of past presidents of ACHNE 1978-1998, compiled in 1996-1999; and photographs, c. 1980-1999.

Series Description.  This collection has been arranged into 10 series:

            Series I.  Executive Committee Files, 1977-1997. 

            Series II.  Treasurer’s Files, 1987-1988

Series III.  President’s Files, 1978-1995

Series IV.  Committee Files, 1979-1994

Series V.  Administrative Files, 1989-1994

Series VI.  Annual Meeting Files, 1978-1993

Series VII.  Spring Institute Files, 1980-1998

Series VIII:  Publications and Printed Matter, 1981-1998

Series IX:  Oral Histories of Past Presidents of ACHNE 1978-1998, compiled

1996-1999

Series X:  Photographs, c. 1980-1996

            Series I.  Executive Committee Files, 1977-1997..  These files consist mainly of minutes of the executive committee from around the time of the group’s founding in 1977 through 1997.  They are filed by date. 

Series II.  Treasurer’s Files, 1987-1988.  This series contains correspondence of Robah Kellogg, Associate Professor of Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Illinois—Peoria, who served as treasurer of ACHNE in 1987-1988.  The correspondence pertains to payment of honoraria to Spring Institute speakers, publications such as a pamphlet on competencies for CH/PHN practice, and questions concerning membership.

Series III.  President’s Files, 1978-1991.  This series consists of files of several presidents of ACHNE including Rosemary Johnson, R.N., M.P.H., Professor, CHN, Arizona State University, who was president from 1979-1981; Marcia Stanhope, RN, DSN, FAAN, Director of Community Health Nursing at the College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, who served as president from 1989-1991; Ann Cary, School of Nursing, George Mason University, president from 1991-1993; and Bianca M. Chambers, M.S., R.N., Boston University School of Nursing, who was president from 1993-1995. 

            Included are general files which contain correspondence, memoranda, and notes between the presidents, officers, and members pertaining to a variety of topics such as the content of upcoming meetings, duties of officers, and the need for administrative support help.  Also included are topical files on the American Red Cross Nursing Collaboration, Health Care Reform, and Membership Studies, all from 1993; and a file on ACHNE’s Strategic Plan Task Force from 1991-1994.

            The Marcia Stanhope files pertain to her work as president of ACHNE from 1989-1991, and in later posts:  she went on to serve as a member-at-large on the Executive Committee, 1992-1993, and as chair of ACHNE’s membership committee, 1993-1994.  The material from her term as president includes topical files on the Association of State and Territorial Directors of Nursing (ASTON); the Quad Council, 1991-1992; the Healthy People 2000 Conference; and a proposed “Wingspread” conference of the Public Health Nursing Action Plan Task Force. 

            The Bianca M. Chambers files concern the publication of a volume entitled “State of the Art in Community Health Nursing Education, Research and Practice,” published by ACHNE in 1990.  Chambers edited the publication as president-elect of ACHNE from 1991-1993.  The files contain correspondence with authors, copies of papers submitted for the publication, and a final draft of the publication.

Series IV.  Committee Files, 1979-1994.  This series contains reports of committee activities compiled by the committee members for presentation at the annual meeting.

Series V:  Administrative Files, 1989-1994:  These files pertain to efforts of ACHNE’s officers to locate administrative support services to perform some of the routine business functions of the organization.  Included is correspondence between president Marcia Stanhope and Jean P. Duncan, head of Administrative Services of Lexington, Kentucky, who provided administrative services from 1990-92; and Duncan’s correspondence regarding the organizational newsletter, dues, publications orders, and meeting arrangements during those years. 

Series VI.  Annual Meeting Files, 1978-1993.  This series consists of minutes of ACHNE’s annual meeting.  The files contain minutes of the meeting (sometimes referred to as the fall meeting or the annual business meeting), committee reports, attendance lists, minutes of special planning sessions, and retreat minutes.

Series VII.  Spring Institute Files, 1980-1998.  This series consists of files pertaining to ACHNE’s annual Spring Institute.  Included are copies of the call for abstracts issued the previous fall on the theme of the meeting for the coming spring; submissions of proposed papers and sessions; programs, leaflets, and flyers.

Series VIII:  Publications and Printed Matter, 1981-1998.  The series contains copies of a series of pamphlets on qualifications for educators in public health nursing published by ACHNE.   Also included are copies of the organization’s newsletter for 1981-1998 and membership lists from 1979-1998.

Series IX:  Oral Histories of Past Presidents of ACHNE 1978-1998:  This series contains the transcripts and tapes of oral histories of past presidents of ACHNE compiled by the organization’s Archives Committee for the 20^th anniversary of ACHNE in 1998.  The interviews were conducted primarily by Grace P. Erickson, EdD, MPH, MSN, RN BC, chair of ACHNE’s Archives Committee.  The series contains a copy of materials distributed at ACHNE’s 20^th anniversary celebration held at the 1998 Spring Institute in Chicago.  Included is the booklet, “Recollections and Challenges for the Future from Our Own Past Presidents, 1978-1988,” containing excerpts from the interviews. 

Series X:  Photographs, c. 1980-1996.  Approximately 100 items (unprocessed).

Container List

Box 1: 

General Information

f. 1       By-laws, 1978

f. 2       History of ACHNE, by Jo McNeil, 1988

f. 3       Member biographical sketches, c. 1978-1986

Series I.  Executive Committee Files, 1977-1997

f. 4                   1977

f.5                    1978

f.6                    1979

f.7                    1980

f.8                    1981

f. 9                   1983

f.10                  1984

f.11                  1985

f.12                  1986

f.13                  1987

f.14-15             1988

f.16-18             1989

f.19-20             1990

Box 2: 

Series I.  Executive Committee Files, 1977-1997 (continued)

f.21                  1991

f.22                  1992

f.23                  1993

f,24                  1993-1994

f.25                  1994

f.26                  1996

f.27                  1997   

Series II.  Treasurer’s Files, 1987-1988

f.1                    1987

f.2                    1988

Box 3: 

Series III:  President’s Files, 1978-1982; 1990-1994:

            General Files:

f1:        1978-1981

f2:        1981-1982

f3         1990-1991

f4         1990-1991

f5         1992

f6         1992-1993

f7         1993

            Topical Files:

f8         American Red Cross Nursing Collaboration, 1993

f9         Incoming Printed Matter, 1993

f10       Health Care Reform, 1993

f11       Membership Surveys, 1993

f12       Strategic Plan Task Force, 1991-94

Series III:  President’s Files, 1978-1982; 1990-1994 (Continued):

Box 4:

Marcia Stanhope Files:

f13       Correspondence, Incoming and Outgoing, 1991-1994

f14       Annual meeting, 1991

f15       Association of State and Territorial Directors of Nursing (ASTON), 1990-1992

f16       Quad Council Reports, 1991-1992

f17-18  Healthy People 2000 Conference, 1990-91

f19       Wingspread (Grant Proposal), 1991

Box 5:

f20-22  Correspondence and Files concerning 1990 Spring Institute Proceedings, 1990-91,

                        edited by Bianca Chambers, ACHNE president-elect

Series IV:  Committee Files, 1979-1994

Box 6:

f1-3      Archives Committee, 1985-1995

f4-6      Committee on By-laws and amendments, 1979-1980   

f7         Education Committee, 1992

f8         Education Committee—White Papers, October 1993

f9         Finance Committee, 1989-1991

f10       Practice Committee, 1990-1993

f11       Practice Committee, October 1991

f12       Practice Committee, April 1992

f13       Program Committee, 1978-1980

f14       Program Committee, 1980-1985

f15       Program Committee, May 1993

f16       Publications Committee, Report, October 1991

f17       Publications and Research Committees, ACHNE Journal proposal, October 1993

f18       Research Committee, Reports, 1991, 1992

Box 7:

Membership Committee:

f.19-22 General, 1993-1994

f.23      Correspondence concerning Member Recruitment, August 1993-February 1994

f.24      Correspondence from Chair, February 1994-May 1994

Series V:  Administrative Files, 1989-1994

Box 8:

f.1        Articles of Incorporation, 1996

f.2        Operations Manual, 1991

Files of Jean Duncan, Managing Director of ACHNE, 1989-1991:

f.3        Correspondence, March 1989-March 1991

f.4        Correspondence, January-August 1991

f.5        Correspondence with International Nursing Organizations, 1990-1991

f.6-7     Correspondence  concerning membership, 1989-1990

f.8        Membership Lists of Other Public Health Nursing Organizations:

                        American Association of Colleges of Nursing, January 1991

                        Association of State and Territorial Directors of Nursing, Feb. 1989-1991

Box 9:

Files of Jean Duncan, Managing Director of ACHNE, 1989-1991 (Continued):

f.9        Correspondence concerning membership, August-November 1991

f.10      Newsletter material, 1989-1990

f.11      Newsletter files, Fall 1990

f12       Strategic Plan Data Analysis, September 1993

f13       Staff position applicants, 1993

f14       Administrative support staff position, 1993

f15       Computer and disk inventory, 1993-1994

f16       General files, 1994

f17       Management services proposals, 1994

f18       Management services proposal by Nursecom, 1994

Series VI:  Annual Meeting Files, 1978-1997

Box 10:

f.1        1978

f.2        1979

f.3        1980

f.4        1981

f.5        1982

f.6        1983

f.7        1984

f.8        1985

f.9        1986

f.10      1987

f.11      1988

f.12      1989

f.13      1990

f.14      1991

f.15      1992

f.16      Strategic Planning Task Force Minutes, November 6, 1992

f.17-21 1993

f.22      1994

f.23      1995—Book of Reports

f.24      1996—Spring Interim Report

f.25      1997—Book of Reports

Series VII:  Spring Institute Files, 1980-1998

Box 11:

f.1        1980

f.2        1982

Series VII:  Spring Institute Files, 1980-1998 (continued):

Box 11:

f.3        1984

f.4        1985

f.5        1987

f.6-8     1988

f.9        1989

f.10      1990

Box 12:

f.11-13 1990

f.14-15 1991

f.16-17 1992

f.18-19 1993

Box 13:

f.20-21 1993

f.22      1994

f.23-24 1995

f.25      1995, U.S. Health Service Award to ACHNE

f.26      1997

f.27      1998

f.28      Brochures, 1996-1998

Series VIII:  Publications and Printed Matter, 1988-1998

Box 14: General

f.1        “Guide to Graduate Programs in Community Health Nursing” (ACHNE, 1988)

f.2        “Essentials of Master’s Level Nursing Education for Advanced Community Health

                        Nursing Practice” (ACHNE, November 1991), copy of 2^nd printing, 1992

f.3        “Essentials of Baccalaureate Nursing Education for Entry Level Community Health

                        Nursing Practice,” (ACHNE, Nov.1990) and copy of 3^rd printing, 1992

f.4        “Research Priorities for Community Health Nursing” (ACHNE, 1992)

f.5        “Differentiated Nursing Practice in Community Health” (ACHNE, October 1993)

f.6        Abstracts, 1992

f.7-8     “Community Health Nursing Research Abstracts, 1898-1991” (ACHNE, Aug.1993)

f.9        “White Paper on Public Health Continuing Education” (ACHNE Education

Committee, Feb. 1994)

f.10      Press Releases, 1993

f.11      Publication lists and order forms, 1993-1994

Series VIII: Publications and Printed Matter, 1988-1998 (Continued):

Box 15:  Newsletter, 1981-1998

f.1        Volume 1 (1981), Nos. 1-2

f.2        Volume 2 (1982-1983), Nos. 1-2

f.3        Volume 3 (1983-84); Volume 4(1984-85)

f. 4       Volume 5 (1985); Volume 6 (1986)

f.5        Volume 7 (1987)

f.6        Volume 8 (1988), Volume 9 (1989)

f.7        Volume 10 (1990)

f.8        Volume 11 (1991)

f.9        Volume 12 (Winter 1992-Winter 1994), Nos. 1-8, 10, 11

f.10      Volume 13 (1995)

f.11      Volume 14 (1996)

f.12      Volume 15 (Spring 1997-Winter 1997-1998), Nos. 1-4

f.13      Volume 16 (Spring 1998)

Box 16:  Membership Lists, 1979-1998

Series IX:  Oral Histories of Past Presidents of ACHNE 1978-1998 compiled for the

            20^th Anniversary of ACHNE in 1998, 1996-1999

Box 17:

f.1        20^th Anniversary leaflets, May 29, 1998

f.2        20^th Anniversary poster text, May 29, 1998

f.3        List of interviews conducted and interviewers, June 1996-June 1999

Transcripts:

f.4        Virginia M. Ohlson, 1^st President (1978-79), interviewed by Wendy Burgess and

                        Karen Egenes, March 27, 1998

f.5        Rosemary Johnson, 2^nd President (1979-1981), interviewed by Grace Erickson,

                        March 3, 1998

f.6        Jean Goeppinger, 3^rd President (1981-1983), intervewed by Susan Devaney, June 17,

1996

f.7        Judith Sullivan, 4^th President (1983-1985), interviewed by Grace Erickson, June 2,

                        1999

f.8        Helen Jo McNeil, 5^th President (1985-1987), interviewed by Grace Erickson, June

                        20, 1996

f.9        Phyllis Schultz, 6^th President (1987-1988), interviewed by Grace Erickson, Nov. 12,

1997

f.10      Doreene Ward-Alexander, 7^th President (1988-1989), interviewed by Grace

Erickson, April 28, 1999

f.11      Marcia Stanhope, 8^th President (1989-1991).  Not contained in 2001 accession.

f.12      Ann Cary, 9^th President (1991-1993), interviewed by Grace Erickson, June 15, 1996

f.13      Bianca Chambers, 10^th President (1993-1995), interviewed by Grace Erickson, Nov.

                        10, 1997

f.14      Naomi Ervin, 11^th President (1995-1997), interviewed by Grace Erickson, February

                        25, 1999

Box 18:

Taped interviews (14 cassette tapes):

Tape #

1          Virginia M. Ohlson, 1^st President (1978-79), interviewed by Wendy Burgess and

                        Karen Egenes, March 27, 1998

2-3       Rosemary Johnson, 2^nd President (1979-1981), interviewed by Grace Erickson,

                        March 3, 1998

4          Jean Goeppinger, 3^rd President (1981-1983), intervewed by Susan Devaney, June 17,

1996

5          Judith Sullivan, 4^th President (1983-1985), interviewed by Grace Erickson, June 2,

                        1999

6-7       Helen Jo McNeil, 5^th President (1985-1987), interviewed by Grace Erickson, June

                        20, 1996

8          Phyllis Schultz, 6^th President (1987-1988), interviewed by Grace Erickson, Nov. 12,

1997

9          Doreene Ward-Alexander, 7^th President (1988-1989), interviewed by Grace

Erickson, April 28, 1999

--         Marcia Stanhope, 8^th President (1989-1991).  Not contained in 2001 accession.

10-11   Ann Cary, 9^th President (1991-1993), interviewed by Grace Erickson, June 15, 1996

12-13   Bianca Chambers, 10^th President (1993-1995), interviewed by Grace Erickson, Nov.

                        10, 1997

f.14      Naomi Ervin, 11^th President (1995-1997), interviewed by Grace Erickson, February

                        25, 1999

Series X:  Photographs, c. 1980-1996 

Box 19:            Approximately 100 items (unprocessed).

Transferred to Video Collection:

National Nursing Summit on the Nurse of the Future, Chicago, IL, August 27-28, 1993:

            Tape 1:  Introduction:  National Health Care Reform

            Tape 2:  State Health Care Reform; Nursing Education Reform; Supply and

                                    Demand for Nursing Services

            Tape 3:  Workplace Reform:  Implications for Nurses; Advanced Practice Nursing

            Tape 4:  Linking Cost and Quality to Patient Outcomes: Closing Remarks