The disastrous failure of one of the most widely admired heroines in the nation provides a dramatic measure of the transformations of northern values during the war.

Dorothea Dix was almost forty years old when she discovered that people, especially poor people, with mental illness were "confined in cages, closets, cellars, stalls, pens chained, naked, beaten with rods, and lashed into obedience." Outraged by this knowledge, Dix led a forty-year crusade for the humane treatment of people with mental illness. Year after year, she traveled thousands of miles by stagecoach, boats, horseback, and railroad to investigate and expose the horrendous conditions. She lobbied legislators, governors, and presidents to provide treatment and facilities for people with mental illness. She took her crusade to Scotland, Italy, and Russia. During the Civil War, she served as the Superintendent of the Female Nurses of the Army, as such she had more authority and power than any other woman had had in the military prior to and during the Civil War. After the war, she resumed her crusade. When Dorothea Dix died in 1887, people around the world honored her. Proclamations, testimonials, and tributes were spoken and printed from the United States to Japan to England. A prominent American doctor wrote, "Thus had died and been laid to rest the most useful and distinguished woman America has yet produced."

Publisher Description

One dedicated woman...giving voice to the suffering of many Born to an unavailable mother and an abusive father, Dorothea Dix longs simply to protect and care for her younger brothers, Charles and Joseph. But at just fourteen, she is separated from them and sent to live with relatives to be raised properly. Lonely and uncertain, Dorothea discovers that she does not possess the ability to accept the social expectations imposed on her gender and she desires to accomplish something more than finding a suitable mate. Yearning to fulfill her God-given purpose, Dorothea finds she has a gift for teaching and writing. Her pupils become a kind of family, hearts to nurture, but long bouts of illness end her teaching and Dorothea is adrift again. It’s an unexpected visit to a prison housing the mentally ill that ignites an unending fire in Dorothea’s heart—and sets her on a journey that will take her across the nation, into the halls of the Capitol, befriending presidents and lawmakers, always fighting to relieve the suffering of what Scripture deems, the least of these. In bringing nineteenth-century, historical reformer Dorothea Dix to life, author Jane Kirkpatrick combines historical accuracy with the gripping narrative of a woman who recognized suffering when others turned away, and the call she heeded to change the world.

Haven on the Hill tells the story of Dix Hill (or Dorothea Dix Hospital, as it became known in 1959) from Dorothea Lynde Dix's investigative trip to North Carolina in 1848 to the debate over the property's future following the proposed closing of the hospital in the early 21st century.

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Uniquely focuses on nursing history through the lens of leadership " This book is perfect for men and women who aspire to lead nursing and society into a better future. It will equally benefit undergraduate students enrolled in leadership courses, graduate students preparing for leadership roles, and nurses already established in leadership roles. [This book] deepened my love for nursing and reinforced why nursing is repeatedly ranked the most trusted profession." -Susan B. Hassmiller , PhD, RN, FAAN Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Senior Adviser for Nursing Director, Campaign for Action With an emphasis on the qualities that have fostered strong nursing leadership, this book provides a unique perspective on the lives and achievements of the most revered nurses throughout history. It is comprised of biographies of many of nursing's most important activist agents of change, with a focus on those characteristics that enabled them to accomplish their goals and implement changes that improved nursing, health, healthcare, and society. These biographies examine the evolution of nursing and society around the globe and underscore the resourcefulness and political savvy these nurses used to meet the increasingly complex needs of society. Using Kouzes and Posner's five practices of exemplary leadership as a framework, the biographies demonstrate how the nurses used these processes to achieve their goals. Placed within the context and dynamics of each nurse leader's lifetimeóincluding gender roles, science and technology, religion, politics, and economics--each biography includes a personal history, timeline, accomplishments, anecdotes, and legacy. The book honors such well-known nurse leaders as Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton, and Dorothea Dix, along with less well-known nurse leaders. By telling the stories of these prominent luminaries, the book showcases nursing's rich history and its influence on society. Ultimately fostering an understanding of the very nature of leadership, it provides a strong foundation and inspiration for nurses to lead nursing, healthcare, and society into a better future. Key Features: Focuses on nursing history through the lens of leadership Uses the framework of Kouzes and Posner's five practices of exemplary leadership to analyze the achievements of nurse luminaries Considers the lives of well-known and lesser-known figures in nursing history Focuses on leadership characteristics that enabled historic nurse leaders to implement important changes in global healthcare