SULLIVAN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY HISTORY MAKER AWARD 2013
Gladys Olmsted, RN (10/19/1924 - 8/10/1997)
a pioneer in public health nursing in Sullivan County began her career as the county’s first Public Health Nurse in 1951, in an “office” with a dirt floor in the basement of the courthouse and retired 34 years later as the Director of the Sullivan County Public Health Nursing Service. She saw great drama in public health nursing, “cutting down the rate of premature infant births, helping someone with polio move a muscle.” “How could you not be excited?”
Gladys brought the county’s public health into the mainstream, initiating programs for pre-natal care, better nutrition for babies (WIC ), well baby, orthopedic and tuberculosis clinics and whatever else was needed to "keep the health" here in Sullivan County.
“She was the right woman at the right time to build an amazing foundation for Sullivan County Public Health Nursing”
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