Aurora
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How it all began -- 1906
The roots of the Aurora Visiting Nurse Association of Wisconsin can be
traced to the heart of a visionary by the name of Sarah Boyd. Whenever a
serious illness occurred in the home of one of her husband's employees at
the Shadbolt-Boyd Company in Milwaukee, Mrs. Boyd would send her personal
nurse to provide care. Recognizing the need for medical necessities that
were unaffordable for many families, Mrs. Boyd began a lifelong pursuit of
bringing meaningful health care into the homes of the poor and underserved.
In 1906, she hired Milwaukee's first “visiting nurse,” Miss Maud Tompkins,
to live in her home at 495 Juneau Place and go out on charitable cases.
 1907
Incorporated on June 7 as the Visiting Nurse Association of Milwaukee to
work for “the benefit of those who are otherwise unable to secure skilled
assistance in time of illness, to promote cleanliness, and to teach proper
care of the sick.”
Elected Sarah Boyd first president; Maud Tomkins, first superintendent.
Employed 4 nurses who made 7,477 visits to 698 patients.
1908
Held first fundraising event, “Tag Day,” generating $10,861.84 in 1 day.
Total nurses' salaries: $2,320.04.
Conducted inspections to look for sick children in Milwaukee public
schools – the start of school nursing.
Began partnership with South Side Free Dispensary to care for
tuberculosis patients.
 1909
Established Special Infant Welfare Work, operating summer day camps for
infant feeding because of high incidence of diarrhea.
1912
Became first nurses to work for city upon establishment of Tuberculosis
Division of the Milwaukee Health Department.
1914
Began working with Milwaukee Children's Hospital to visit patients at the
hospital and “follow them home.” Assigned staff nurse to organize the
hospital's first social service department.
1916
Began receiving funding from the Centralized Budget of Philanthropies,
forerunner of the United Way.
 1917
Called for married nurses to return to work to fill vacancies of nurses
volunteering for military hospital assignments.
First motor car used to visit patients.
1918
Provided nursing care during Spanish flu epidemic that resulted in 2,000
deaths.
1920
Established “Special Confinement Care,” the forerunner to
neonatal/prenatal care.
Offered home delivery service to assist doctors in childbirth cases.
1923
Opened first branch office at St. John's Mission on 12th and Center
Streets.
Began offering classes for expectant parents.
1927
Initiated affiliation and educational program with area nursing schools.
Opened branch office to serve Cudahy and South Milwaukee.
 1929
Began offering occupational therapy services in addition to physical
therapy.
1938
Affiliated with Marquette University to provide field experience for
post-graduate students in public health nursing.
Partnered with Milwaukee County Medical Society to provide services for
premature babies.
1939
Began operating Mother's Milk Laboratory, which remained open until 1950.
1941
Accepted University of Wisconsin students for field experience.
1946
Contracted with American Cancer Society and the Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis to care for cancer and polio patients.
1948
Employed 1st practical nurse.
1953
Hired pediatric nursing consultant with grant from Uhrig Foundation.
1960
Extended services into Waukesha and Ozaukee counties.
1961
Assigned staff nurse as hospital coordinator for the Mental Health Center
to plan care for discharged patients.
1963
Began early hospital discharge program with Mount Sinai Hospital and Blue
Cross/Blue Shield. Later established Blue Cross-insured home care programs
with St. Luke's, St. Michael and Trinity Memorial hospitals.
 1965
Began Mobile Meals pilot program as joint effort with Milwaukee
Auxiliary, Medical Society's Women's Auxiliary and St. John's Home for the
Aged.
1972
Received $150,000 from Faye McBeath Foundation to launch Coordinated Home
Care program, providing short-term, intensive-level services enabling
patients to be discharged early from hospitals.
Became involved with High Risk Clinic at Milwaukee Children's Hospital.
1973
Employed pediatric nurse practitioner as consultant to staff seeing
infants and children.
Initiated home hemodialysis pilot project.
1978
Installed computerized management information system.
Initiated in-home nutrition counseling program.
1979
Awarded federal grant to train homemaker-home health aides for VNA and
other home health care organizations throughout southeastern Wisconsin.
Established Visiting Nurse Foundation.
 1980
Received $20,000 in first of five annual installments from Walter
Schroeder Foundation for general operating purposes.
Established Visiting Friends with Junior League of Milwaukee to recruit
and train volunteers to visit with terminally ill and elderly patients.
Initiated Intensive Care Services.
1981
Established formal Hospice Home Care program. 69 patients cared for in
first 2 months.
1982
Initiated weekend and holiday Mobile Meals service.
Gave first Sarah M. Boyd Award to Faye McBeath Foundation in recognition
of contributions totaling over $390,000.
Initiated Community Assessment and Resource Evaluation Services (CARES)
program.
1984
Initiated flu vaccination program.
Began offering IV therapy services.
Employed first speech and language pathologist.
1985
Recognized 7 millionth patient visit on November 25 – proclaimed VNA of
Milwaukee Day by Wisconsin Governor Tony Earl.
Began administering chemotherapy drugs in the home.
Hired pediatric/maternal nurse clinician to provide specialized services
for high-risk maternity patients, new parents and pediatric patients with
special needs.
Became home care component to St. Joseph's Hospice.
Gave first annual Volunteer of the Year Award to Patricia Apple.
 1986
Received over 4,000 volunteer hours of service from Mobile Meals drivers,
Visiting Friends, members of the Milwaukee Auxiliary of the VNA, clergy
counselors, professional advisors and board directors.
Began joint venture with St. Luke's Medical Center for “Visiting Home
Care.”
1987
Completed capital fund drive for $1.75 million to consolidate three
offices and move headquarters to 30,000 square foot building at 11333 W.
National Avenue in West Allis.
Began Sick Child Care Program to assist working parents.
Began offering respiratory services including oxygen therapy and home
ventilators.
1988
Became the 3rd affiliate of Aurora Health Care.
Began offering home phototherapy services for newborn infants.
Initiated student health program at Milwaukee School of Engineering.
1989
Received $250,000 contribution from Jane and Lloyd Pettit for new
headquarters building.
Established Medical Ethics Committee.
Became 1st home health care organization to develop hazardous waste
procedures.
Gave Bernadine Johnson first annual Claude Pepper Caregiver of the Year
Award.
 1990
Established VNA Community Hospice with St. Luke's Medical Center.
1991
Began partnership with Caremark to begin infusion services.
Established nursing scholarships in honor of Sarah Boyd and Sally & Jim
Grootemaat.
1992
Launched “Shoo the Flu” vaccination program; 7,939 injections given at 70
clinics.
1993
Affiliated with Visiting Nurse Association of Sheboygan.
Issued cell phones to clinical staff.
Received donated bottled water from Miller Brewing to distribute to
Mobile Meals clients during cryptosporidium water crisis.
 1994
Established Aurora Home Medical Services.
Developed Pediatric Home Care Program with Children's Hospital of
Wisconsin.
Issued laptop computers to field nurses.
Partnered with Aurora Sinai Medical Center to open Positive Health Clinic
for people with HIV disease.
Sheboygan joined Milwaukee in providing Rapid Recovery Cardiac Program.
1995
Started pediatric hospice program.
Established Mom/Baby Program with Aurora Sinai Medical Center to provide
continuum of care from hospital to home.
Opened branch offices in Kenosha, Cudahy and Two Rivers.
1996
Transitioned from paper to computerized patient record keeping.
Affiliated with Lakeland Home Health.
Developed behavioral health program.
Introduced Great Icescape for Kids annual fundraiser for pediatric home
care.
1998
Affiliated with Milwaukee Hospice Home Care and Residence, Milwaukee's
first residential hospice program.
Opened Lake Geneva branch.
2000
Established wound care team in Aurora's central and north regions.
Launched Synagis - a pediatric pharmacy program designed to minimize
hospitalization for infants suffering from respiratory synctial virus.
Established certified hospice program in Sturgeon Bay.
2001
Used funds from Harley-Davidson challenge grant to purchase two Mobile
Meals vans equipped with refrigerated and heated compartments.
2002
Began offering health monitoring technology in patients' homes to provide
vital sign tracking and remote evaluation of patient's condition.
2003
Affiliated with Village Adult Day Center.
Given $60,000 grant from Our Hope of Burlington to create hospice suite
at Memorial Hospital of Burlington.
Extended Lifeline program to Sheboygan area.
 2004
Announced $1 million gift from Joseph and Vera Zilber Family Foundation
at groundbreaking ceremony for hospice residence.
Opened Oshkosh branch.
Initiated Diabetes Partnership Program with Children's Hospital of
Wisconsin and Milwaukee Public Schools.
2005
Opened 18-bed Aurora VNA Zilber Family Hospice in Wauwatosa, Milwaukee
area's first hospice for children and adults, and Institute for End of Life
Education in partnership with Marquette University College of Nursing.
Synagis served 6,000th child.
Shoo the Flu set record with 100,207 immunizations.
2007
The Aurora Visiting Nurse Association celebrates its 100 year
anniversary!
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