Heritage Snapshot: Part 150

One Friday afternoon in 1975, about 3 p.m., after the faculty and students of the School of Nursing had left West Hall for the weekend, Dean Marilyn Christian cleared her desk and started to leave her office. By this time she was the only one in the building, and it was totally quiet. She had been very busy, was tired, and had plans for the coming weekend. But as she stood to leave, a voice seemed to tell her she should stay. The impression was so compelling that she sat down again behind her desk. She didn’t know why, but she felt strongly that she should not leave her office. Marilyn asked God, “Lord, if this is You directing me to stay, I need some further directions. What am I to stay for? What am I here for.” No response. So the dean sat down at her desk. She didn’t feel inclined to start working again so she just sat there, quietly waiting and sometimes praying out loud. Fifteen minutes passed and nothing happened. After 30 minutes, she continued waiting, asking God if her impression was from Him, and wondering why she was staying late. She really wanted to go home. Another half-hour passed and still she felt compelled to stay. Anyone who knew the Dean knew that she usually didn’t sit still doing nothing for an hour. But this was different. She continued to sit, ask God for His direction in her life, and wonder what would happen. After a second hour passed, the telephone rang. When Marilyn answered she recognized the voice of Dr. Jesse Scott, Director of Nursing for the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Marilyn had known her from national meetings, but had had no personal conversations with her. On the line with her was Dr. Jo Eleanor Elliott, the Director of the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education in Nursing, a colleague Marilyn did know. The women called to announce the organization of a high level, national think tank. At this point, Marilyn jumped to the conclusion that the Lord had asked her to stay late because she was going to be asked to serve on the committee. Then, building on that assumption, she appreciated the fact that it was a national committee, which would give her School national exposure. Dr. Scott proceeded to tell Marilyn that the committee would establish recommendations to be presented to the United States Congress on the future of nursing in America for the next 10 to 20 years. Questions to be addressed included: How many nurses do we need in America? Where should they be placed? What level of preparation do they need? How many staff nurses as well as leadership personnel with advanced degrees would be needed in various agencies, including VA hospitals, private hospitals, public health agencies, and nursing homes. Marilyn had heard something about the project, but had no idea that she would be asked to participate. The committee would cover a lot of material in a relatively short time. Marilyn had already thanked God for the opportunity He was giving her to be a member of this important committee, and in her head she silently hoped that they would not have meetings on Sabbath. Committee members would include the presidents or their representatives of the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Nurses Association, the National League for Nursing, the Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University, Boston University, the University of Hawaii, and key people from other leading universities that had both Schools of Nursing and Schools of Medicine. Then they asked Marilyn to chair the committee.