School of Nursing

Male Nurses in History

Camillus de Lellis, St.

Founded a religious order devoted to healing the sick called the Brothers Hospitallars; patron saint of nurses and hospitals; pioneered special nursing units to help wounded soldiers that included training all nurs

Freely available Resources

  • , from Marywood University
  • , blog post from the Order of St. Camillus USA Delegation

Subscription/paid Resources

  • , Patron Saint of Hospitals
  • Harrison (2002)

Christman, Luther

Became the first male Dean of a US School of Nursing when he accepted the position at Vanderbilt University in 1967; helped establish the National Male Nurse Association in 1974 (in 1981, it became the American Assembly for Men in Nursing)

Freely available Resources

  • ANA Hall of Fame:
  • , from nurse.com
  • , from UMich School of Nursing

Subscription/paid Resources

  • Christman (2007),
  • Horton-Deutsch (2002),

Derham, James

The first black person to open a medical practice in the US; trained and worked as a nurse while enslaved

Freely available Resources

  • , from UIC College of Nursing
  • , from AAREG blog

Subscription/paid Resources

  • Sullivan (1977),
  • Wynes (1979), : Man or myth?

Gonzalez, Hector Hugo

Attended SAC and the Robert B. Green Hospital SON; first Hispanic and male President of the of the ANA; first Mexican-American RN to earn a doctorate in the US; founding member of NAHN

Freely available Resources

  • , provided by the National Association of Hispanic Nurses
  • , from Who’s Who

Hogan, Joe

Sued and won the right for men to attend a women’s only nursing program in Mississippi

Freely available Resources

  • , from Britannica.com
  • “,” from the NY Times Archive
  • “,” Pepperdine Law Review

Lyon, Edward T.

First male nurse commissioned in the Army Nurse Corps

Freely available Resources

  • “The evolution of the male Army Nurse Corps Officers,” from the US Army Medical Department Office of Medical History

Subscription/paid Resources

  • “,” LaRocco (2015)

Tranbarger, Russell

Wrote the book and was an advocate for men in nursing throughout his career; first recipient of Luther Christman Award from the ANA

Freely available Resources

  • “: Renaissance nurse,” Pollitt (2013)
  • , from Appalachian State University