Alma E. Foerster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alma E. Foerster
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circa 1920
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| Born | July 25, 1885 |
| Died | August 1, 1967 (aged 82) Chicago, Illinois
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | nurse |
| Years active | 1910-1940s |
| Known for | An inaugural recipient of the Florence Nightingale Medal, who had service in Archangel, Russia during the Russian Revolution. |
Alma E. Foerster (1885–1967) was an American nurse. She helped people in both everyday life and during wars. Alma started as a public health nurse in Chicago. This meant she cared for people in their communities.
During World War I, she helped set up hospitals in Kiev. For this, she received a special award called the Cross of Saint Anna. She also worked in Romania and received another award, the Order of the Cross of Queen Marie.
Later, she went on a special mission to help people in Archangel, Russia. There, she was one of only two American Red Cross nurses. She helped wounded soldiers in a hospital. In 1920, she was one of the very first people to receive the Florence Nightingale Medal. This is a very important award for nurses.
After returning to the United States, she continued her nursing career. She worked for the United States Public Health Service. She was a nurse, a teacher, and a director of nursing. She worked in cities like Chicago, Mobile, Ann Arbor, and Racine. She spent her final years working in Chicago.
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Early Life and Training
Alma E. Foerster was born on July 25, 1885. Her birthplace was Ontarioville, Illinois, in Cook County, Illinois. Her parents, Friederike and Rev. Paul Foerster, were immigrants from Germany. In 1910, Alma finished her nursing studies. She earned a diploma from the Presbyterian School of Nursing in Chicago.
A Career of Caring
Alma Foerster began her career helping families. She worked as a public health nurse in Chicago. She helped babies and families through the Infant Welfare and Jewish Aid Societies. In 1911, she joined the American Red Cross as a relief nurse. She also worked at Michael Reese Hospital.
In 1913, she helped people affected by the Ohio flood. This was a big disaster. In 1914, Alma went to Kiev with other Red Cross nurses. Their goal was to set up a hospital there. In 1915, she was transferred to help in Serbia for a short time. When she returned, the Russian government gave her the Cross of Saint Anna award. This was for her excellent service.
Alma then worked at the Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago. She also led the nursing team at the Rush Medical Dispensary. In 1917, the Red Cross sent her to Romania. She served there for a year. The Romanian government gave her a special award for her work. The next year, she received the Order of the Cross of Queen Marie.
Helping in Russia
From Romania, Alma Foerster went to Archangel, Russia. She served there until 1919. Her group included eleven people, with only two nurses. Alma and Beatrice M. Gosling were those nurses. Their mission was to deliver food and medical supplies. They wanted to help civilians in Archangel.
However, the situation was very difficult. There was a big war happening in Russia. Different groups were fighting, including the Bolsheviks and other armies. This made conditions very bad. People were cut off and needed help. They relied on aid from the Red Cross. Nurses at the local hospital were very hungry. They agreed to care for soldiers if they received food.
Beatrice Gosling helped with civilian aid. Alma Foerster worked in a small hospital. It was set up in a chapel by the Red Cross. She helped in the operating room. She cared for soldiers who were sick or wounded. In the spring of 1919, Alma returned to the U.S. The American Red Cross Hospital in Archangel then closed.
When she came back, Alma received a great honor. She was one of the first winners of the Florence Nightingale Medal in 1920. This award recognizes outstanding nursing service.
Later Career and Community Work
After her service abroad, Alma became a supervisor. She worked at Michael Reese Hospital. In 1922, she moved to Mobile, Alabama. There, she worked for the U.S. Public Health Service. She was placed at Marine Hospital Number 13.
In 1927, she became a teacher and supervisor. She worked at the University of Michigan Hospital. She taught nursing students about public health. This meant teaching them how to care for people in their communities.
In 1934, Alma moved to Racine, Wisconsin. She became the Director of Nursing Activities for the Red Cross there. She was in charge of public health nursing for the area. She managed four "well baby stations" in the city. These stations allowed mothers to bring young children for health check-ups. She also organized meetings about parenting and prenatal care. These were sponsored by the Red Cross and the local Junior League.
By 1940, Alma had moved back to the Chicago area. She lived there until her death on August 1, 1967.
