This historical study focused on the life of Lavinia Lloyd Dock as a reformer in nursing and social movements during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Lavinia Dock was devoted to the ideals of freedom and justice for oppressed individuals. Her contributions as a reformer focused on the professionalization of nursing and the equality of women. She was among the early group of nurses who were committed to professionalizing nursing through development of organizations, improved educational standards, and registration. She gave her support, talents, and writing abilities to all of these early efforts to place nursing on a professional level. But she was also interested in the condition of woman as citizen and worker. Her early experiences with poor working women and providing nursing in the slums of New York City broadened her views to include women as a group for reform.
Most of Lavinia Dock's contributions to nursing and to improving women's lives are known. However, the specifics of her development over time are less evident. Her words can give a clearer idea of her progress as she moved from reformer of nursing to social reformer of woman's condition. She believed that women had to have equal citizenship, if they were going to improve their lives and the conditions of society.
I have attempted to give some chronological sequence to the presentation of what she believed and did. I have used her published writings and personal letters to present the development of her ideas over time in addition to her achievements. I have tried to use primary and secondary sources of her day to correct what seems to be inaccurate information.
Lavinia Dock gave her considerable ability to the development of nursing as a profession. But she did not limit herself to a narrow professional involvement. She asked nurses particularly and certainly any specific group of women to look beyond their own interests to the broader needs and benefits of all. She was an example of a socially conscience and committed individual.