Rosa González

Rosa González, RN, (1889-July 25, 1981) was a nurse, author, feminist and activist. She established various health clinics throughout Puerto Rico and was the founder of The Association of Registered Nurses of Puerto Rico. Gonzalez authored two books related to her field, in which she denounced the discrimination against women and nurses in Puerto Rico. In 1978, she was the first recipient of the Public Health Department of Puerto Rico Garrido Morales Award.

Early years

González (birth name: Rosa Angélica González) was born and raised in the town of Lares, Puerto Rico. There she received her primary and secondary education. She was still a child when Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States in accordance with the agreement reached in the 1898 Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the Spanish-American War.^[1]

González became interested in the field of nursing and enrolled in the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she earned her nurse certificate in 1909. In 1914, she went to New York City and continued her studies and earned the title of Registered Nurse at the New York Presbyterian Hospital.^[1][2]

Return to Puerto Rico

In 1916, González returned to her homeland and organized the Dr. Susoni clinic in the city of Arecibo. Also in that year, she founded and presided overThe Association of Registered Nurses of Puerto Rico. Under her leadership the association was able to raise enough funds for the construction of a building to house the Club de Nurses, where convalescent nurses could reside.^[3]

In 1917, González wrote her first book Diccionario Médico para la Enfermera (Nurse's Medical Dictionary).^{[2] [3]}

In 1918, the Swine Flu swept through Army camps and training posts around the world including Puerto Rico, infecting one quarter of all soldiers and killing more than 55,000 American troops.^[4] González was sent to Ponce, Puerto Rico,^[3] where she assisted Dr. Dolores Piñero and four male colleagues, when they opened a 400-bed hospital to care for infected patients and World War I veterans.^[2][4]

González served as the voluntary Director of Emergency Unit in the city of Mayagüez, helping the victims of the San Fermín earthquake.^[1] From 1919 to 1924 González was the Director of Puerto Rico's Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing. During this time (1921), she traveled to New York and attended Columbia University. In 1924, she worked as an educator and trainer of nurses for the Sanitation Department of Puerto Rico.^[2]

Founder of medical institutions

In 1926, González founded a magazine for nurses called Puerto Rico. She was also named the Executive Secretary of the Association of Graduated Nurses of Puerto Rico, a position which she held until 1927. Amongst the institutions which she organized were the Amarosa Sanitarium in the town of Villalba (1929), the school of the Institute of Medical Surgery (1930), and the nursing school on the grounds of the School of Tropical Medicine in San Juan (1931).^[1] González organized and, from 1936 to 1940, headed the first clinic dedicated to maternal health in her hometown of Lares.^[2]

Women's rights activist

In 1929, González wrote a book titled Los Hechos Desconocidos (Unknown Facts), which she dedicated to the Governor of Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rican Legislature and the Medical Association. The book was also dedicated to the Puerto Rican Nurses Association and the Association of Puerto Rican Women Surrogates.

González used her book to promote the establishment of a Nurse Examiners Board in Puerto Rico. As a Women’s Rights activist, she also denounced the discriminatory practices against women in the health care professions. González believed that the "Medical Class" discriminated against female nurses and stated this clearly in her book:^[1]

"In our country any man who is active in a political party, will be considered capable of handling an administrative position, regardless of how inept he is. "

"To this day the 'Medical Class' has not accepted nurses who have the same goal as doctors: the well-being of the patient. Both professions need each other in order to be successful."

The Nurse Examiners Board was established in 1930. When the United States entered World War II, González was named Director of the Nurses Services of the American Red Cross in Puerto Rico.^[3]

Legacy

In 1978, González became the first recipient of the Garrido Morales award, an honor bestowed upon her by the Governing Board of the Association of Public Health in Puerto Rico.^[1][3] She continued to provide medical services free of charge for the children in Guaynabo where she resided. She died in her home on July 25, 1981 .^[2][3]

The organization Salud Pro-Mujer (Pro-Woman's Health) named an award the "ROSA GONZALEZ AWARD" which recognizes health professionals who have contributed to improving the health of women.^[5]

See also

	Puerto Rico portal
	Biography portal

• List of Puerto Ricans

References

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