Nurse, Professor, Administrator

Florence Schorske Wald began her illustrious career as a visiting nurse in New York City shortly after she earned a B.A. from Mt. Holyoke College in 1938 and a Master of Nursing from Yale University in 1941. From 1956-1952, she was a research assistant in the College of Physicians and Surgeons.   In 1955, she secured a position as an instructor at the Rutgers University School of Nursing.  Two years later she returned to Yale as Acting Dean of the School of Nursing and Associate Professor.  Success followed, and within a year the leadership position was made official and Wald was appointed the fourth Dean of the Yale University School of Nursing..

After a decade, her administrative duties completed, Wald continued her nursing career as a Clinical Professor at Yale. It was during this period of her professional life that she made, perhaps, her greatest contribution to the medical field. Florence Wald was a founding board member of the United States first hospice program. in Branford, Connecticut.

In the later years, Wald continued to teach and write and to be honored by her profession for her exceptional contributions. In 1976 she received the Distinguished Alumna Award from the Yale University School of Nursing, and, in the same year the Distinguished Woman of Connecticut Award. In 1995 she received an honorary Doctor of Medical Sciences from Yale University. In 1998 she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame.