Luther Christman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luther P. Christman
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Christman in 1980
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| Born | February 26, 1915 |
| Died | June 7, 2011 (aged 96) |
| Education | Michigan State University Philadelphia Psychoanalytic Institute Temple University |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Registered nurse University professor Administrator |
| Institutions | University of Michigan Vanderbilt University Rush University |
| Notable students | Courtney Lyder |
Luther Parmalee Christman (born February 26, 1915 – died June 7, 2011) was an important American nurse. He was also a professor, a university leader, and a strong supporter of fairness for everyone in nursing, no matter their gender or race.
He worked at places like the Michigan Department of Mental Health, the University of Michigan, Vanderbilt University, and Rush University. In 1967, he made history by becoming the first man to be a dean of a nursing school.
While working at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Christman created the Rush Model of Nursing. This was a very important way to organize nursing care in hospitals. He also helped start the National Male Nurse Association, which is now called the American Assembly for Men in Nursing. After he retired in 1987, he received many awards for his great work. He passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2011.
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Luther Christman's Education Journey
Luther Christman finished nursing school in 1939 at the Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing for Men. He later earned a degree from Temple University in 1948. He also got a master's degree in clinical psychology.
He then completed his Ph.D. at Michigan State University. There, he studied anthropology and sociology. Christman faced unfair treatment because he was a man. Two university nursing programs would not let him in. He was also not allowed to work in a maternity ward during his nursing studies, just because he was male.
Christman's Nursing Career
Early in his career, Christman said some female coworkers were not friendly to him. He also found that jobs for men were mostly on night shifts in mental health or urology. He wanted to join the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, but they said no because he was a man. Instead, he worked in the United States Maritime Service during World War II as a pharmacist's helper.
After the war, Christman worked as a private nurse and an assistant head nurse. Later, he became the director of nursing at Yankton State Hospital.
In 1956, Christman started working for the Michigan Department of Mental Health. He helped organize nursing school training in hospitals across the state. In 1963, he became a professor of psychiatric nursing at the University of Michigan.
In 1967, he took on two big jobs at Vanderbilt University. He became the dean of the nursing school and the director of nursing at the medical center. In 1972, he moved to Rush University and Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center.
While at Rush, he helped create the Rush Model of Nursing. This model made sure that nursing professors spent most of their time working directly with patients. This was similar to how doctors worked. He retired from his busy career in 1987.
Advocating for Nursing
Throughout his career, Christman strongly supported better nursing education. In the late 1960s, he believed nurses would become more specialized. He wanted nurses to focus on patient care and not on other tasks. This would help them keep up with new technology in healthcare.
In 1978, he spoke in Australia about different nursing systems. He argued against using a mix of registered nurses, nurse aides, and student nurses. He showed that nurse aides were often not busy for a quarter of their workday.
Christman was also president of the Michigan Nurses Association many times. He came up with the idea that led to the creation of the American Academy of Nursing.
Awards and Special Honors
Luther Christman received several important awards for his work. He won two awards from Sigma Theta Tau:
- The Edith Moore Copeland Founders Award for Creativity (1981)
- The Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award (1991), being the first person to receive it.
In 1995, he was named a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing. In 2004, he was added to the American Nurses Association Hall of Fame.
The American Assembly for Men in Nursing created the Luther Christman Award in 1975. This award celebrates the great things men have done in nursing. It also helps fund scholarships for men in nursing and research about men's health. In 2007, the American Nurses Association started its own Luther Christman Award. It honors a man who has made a big difference in nursing.
Later Years and Legacy
After retiring, Christman stayed involved with nursing groups for many years. He passed away from pneumonia on June 7, 2011, in Nashville. His wife, Dorothy Black, had passed away in 2003. They were married in 1939 and had three children.
Luther Christman's work helped change nursing for the better. He opened doors for men in nursing and improved how nurses were educated and how they cared for patients.
Images for kids
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Christman in 1980
