Date of Award
2007
Document Type
Dissertation
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
October 2026
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Baer, Ellen D.
Abstract
The ability to gain payment for services is strongly linked to the ability of a profession to define the value of its service. Valuation as an economic term is used to define an entity's worth or value. As an approach, valuation encourages a company to document the financial value of both the tangible and intangible assets associated with the services provided. Today there are a limited number of studies that document the value of nursing services. Valuation studies related to nursing are challenged by the need to include the complexity of patient services that causes variation in research results. This historical case study examines one nursing initiative undertaken by the Daughters of Charity who were trained in nursing and finance and were able to demonstrate their value to the community of Jacksonville, Florida. In 1916, the Daughters of Charity came to Jacksonville to provide health care to the sick and the poor. They endured the hardships found in this southern city and endeared themselves to the community. They purchased a 42-bed Sanatorium and expanded this facility into a 528-bed hospital and health system. Across ninety years, the community supported and demonstrated their willingness to pay in order to sustain the Sisters mission. The themes identified in the study included an unwavering commitment to Jive the mission of the Daughters of Charity, an implicit authority allowing these Sisters to enter into business arrangements, an emphasis on ensuring that all Sisters gained education and mentorship in finance and nursing, the growth of a strong bond with the community of Jacksonville, and an ability to obtain funding needed to carry out their mission. Themes appearing to be in opposition to the Sisters mission included racial separation and the limited recognition given to nurses at the Sisters' hospital. In conclusion, the study tells the story of Sisters who were able to enhance their valuation by blending their knowledge of the health care business and nursing, while successfully obtaining the funding needed to fulfill their mission.
Extent
272 p.
Recommended Citation
Rutherford, Marcella M., "More Than Good, Kind Angels: The Daughters of Charity's Relationship to Valuation, Mission and Money, 1916 To 1994" (2007). Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009. 1309.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general_5/1309
Identifier
FA00000623
Comments
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing|Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2007.|Collection|Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing