The American Nurses Association announced the death of Florence Wald, RN, MSN, FAAN. Wald passed away Saturday, Nov. 8, at her home in Connecticut. She was 91.
Florence Wald was a home health nurse, a professor and a dean, and a pioneer in the field of hospice nursing in the U.S. She studied hospice care in London and returned to the U.S. and developed a model for the holistic and humanistic care of the dying that continues to this day to influence hospice care in this country. She taught nurses that they had to understand the concepts and dynamics of death and dying in order to provide quality care to the patients and their families.
Wald earned several degrees in nursing and in science and was published widely. One of the many distinctions she earned was being inducted into the ANA Hall of Fame in 1996 for her distinguished career and her contributions to the nursing profession.
Our deepest sympathies are with the Wald family. May they always take comfort from the fact that this great woman was deeply loved and respected by the nursing community for all that she taught us about the art of caring and nursing, and for her contributions to hospice care.
photo: ANA.org
