Ruby Leila Wilson Papers, 1930-2008

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Restrictions:
Contains Medical Center Administrative records. These include records of the officers of the University, as defined in the Bylaws, the deans of schools and colleges, and departments, institutes,...
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Summary

Creator:
Wilson, Ruby Leila
Abstract:
Contains the professional papers of Ruby Leila Wilson (1931-), professor and dean of the Duke University School of Nursing. Types of materials include correspondence, subject files, reports, evaluations, manuals, designs, buildings plans, budgets, speeches, applications, course materials, conference materials, photographs, minutes, notes, programs, AV materials, and academic regalia. Major subjects include Duke University School of Nursing, faculty, nursing students, nursing education, curriculum development, and Duke University Hospital. Materials range in date from 1930 to 2008.
Extent:
46.6 Linear Feet (29 cartons, 5 manuscript boxes, 1 flat box, 1 flat box folder) and 2 academic gowns and 1 academic hood
Language:
English
Collection ID:
AR.0003

Background

Scope and content:

Contains the professional papers of Ruby Leila Wilson (1931-), professor and dean of the Duke University School of Nursing. Types of materials include correspondence, subject files, reports, evaluations, manuals, designs, buildings plans, budgets, speeches, applications, course materials, conference materials, photographs, minutes, notes, programs, AV materials, and academic regalia. Major subjects include Duke University School of Nursing, faculty, nursing students, nursing education, curriculum development, and Duke University Hospital. Materials range in date from 1930 to 2008.

Biographical / historical:

Ruby Leila Wilson was born on May 31, 1931 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. She attended San Francisco State College (1957-1958) and the University of Washington (Certificate, 1963) and received degrees from University of Pittsburgh (Bachelors of Science in Nursing, 1954), Case-Western Reserve University (Masters of Science in Nursing, 1958) and Duke University (Doctor of Education, 1968). Wilson's career includes positions with the Allegheny General Hospital (staff nurse and assistant head nurse, 1951-1952 and night clinical instructor and administrative supervisor, 1952-1955), Fort Miley Veteran's Administration Hospital in San Francisco (staff nurse and assistant head nurse, 1957-1958), Duke University (instructor of medical-surgical nursing, 1955-1957 and 1959-1966, associate in medicine, 1963-1966, assistant to director of Nursing Service as a clinical specialist, 1963-1966), and Duke University School of Nursing (assistant professor of nursing, 1958-1963, assistant professor of nursing, nurse specialist in Nephrology). Wilson took a Sabbatical and Educational Leave from Duke University from 1966 to 1968. From 1968 to 1971, Wilson worked for the Rockefeller Foundation as a visiting professor and consultant in nursing in Bangkok, Thailand. In 1971 Wilson returned to Duke University and became dean of the School of Nursing, a position she held until 1984.

As dean of the School of Nursing, Wilson was responsible for academic programs, faculty and staff recruitment and evaluation, advising programs, departmental budgets, and alumni relations. She worked closely with many Duke University administrators to establish and develop the graduate program in nursing, and she also represented the School of Nursing at a number of professional society functions and raised funds for the School of Nursing through grant writing and other means.

Wilson was involved in many facets of nursing students' educational experience, including coordinating study abroad programs for students, advocating for student housing and continuing education, and guiding renovation efforts of School of Nursing facilities. She was also involved in collaboration with Duke Hospital, Community and Family Medicine Department, and Allied Health programs at Duke University and nursing education programs of other universities, many times working out curriculum development plans and internship placements statewide through her associations.

Beyond nursing, Wilson was a participant in the Women's Network of Duke University, a group of professional women who came together to discuss, analyze and represent women's needs to various university policymaking groups. Wilson's service on Duke University committees includes Vice President of the Staff Advisory Committee, and members of the Provost's Committee, Undergraduate Deans Committee, Executive Committee of the Academic Council, and Search Committee for Dean of Trinity College. Outside of Duke University, Wilson was a member and chair of National League for Nursing Council of Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs Committee, National League for Nursing (Legislative Advisory Committee, Consultant for Medical-Surgical Council), American Association of Colleges of Nursing (Finance and Governmental Affairs sections, Executive Committee and other groups), American Nurses' Association (Convention Program Committee, Executive Board and Planning Committee), Institute Planning Committee Association for Academic Health Centers, International Health Committee of the Institute of Medicine, and the Council of Baccalaureate Deans in Nursing. Other groups include the North Carolina Medical Center Commission, Hypertensive Heart Disease Committee of the North Carolina Regional Medical Program, and the State-Wide Planning Committee for Graduate Nursing Programs in North Carolina.

She also directed workshops for care of patients with renal conditions and presented numerous papers on the subjects of nursing legislation, nursing curriculum, the role of universities in preparing nurses, and the future of nursing. Wilson worked as a consultant in a variety of capacities, though most often to universities as a curriculum design and development consultant. In North Carolina, Wilson was a consultant with the Nursing Advisory Committee to Durham Technical Institute and consultant to Research Triangle Institute for a grant project on intermittent dialysis.

Over the course of her long career, Wilson has been recognized with a variety of awards including membership in Sigma Theta Tau (1960) and Kappa Delta Pi (1961). In 1969, she received the Outstanding Alumni Award from Allegheny General Hospital School of Nursing. She was named an honorary alumna of the Duke University School of Nursing (1974), a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (1977), and a fellow of the Institute of Medicine. Wilson is currently Dean Emeritus of Duke University School of Nursing.

Acquisition information:
No documented accession number (circa 1986); Accession A2013.010 (transferred by Ruby Wilson, February 2013); Accession A2013.052 (gift, August 2013), Accession A2024.025 (transferred by Yvette Massey, March 2024)
Processing information:

Processed by Archives staff and Emily Glenn: January 2004; reprocessed by Archives staff: date unknown; updated by Lucy Waldrop: April 2024

Arrangement:
Organized into the following series: Correspondence, 1969-1972; Correspondence, 1971-1972; Correspondence, 1981-1984; Correspondence and Subject Files, 1934-1985; Subject Files, 1957-1984; Subject Files, O-Z, 1959-1984; Addition, Retrenchment and budget materials, 1971-1986; A2013.010 Accession, 1961-1984; A2013.052 Accession, 1930-2008; Academic Regalia, 2006, undated. Material within this collection has been organized by accession reflecting the fact that the collection has been acquired in increments over time. Researchers should note that material within each accession overlaps with/or relates to material found in other accessions. In order to locate all relevant material within this collection, researchers will need to consult each accession described in the Series Scope and Contents section. Researchers should also note that similar material can be arranged differently in each accession, depending on how the material was organized when it was received by the DUMCA.
Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Contents

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Restrictions:

Contains Medical Center Administrative records. These include records of the officers of the University, as defined in the Bylaws, the deans of schools and colleges, and departments, institutes, and other offices as designated by the President. For a period of twenty-five years from the origin of the material, permission in writing from the director of the office of record and the Medical Center Archivist is required for use. After twenty-five years, records that have been processed may be consulted with the permission of the Medical Center Archivist. (Issued by the Office of the Chancellor, December 1, 1975).

Terms of access:

Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Ruby Leila Wilson Papers, Duke University Medical Center Archives.