Florence S. Wald, a former dean of the Yale School of Nursing, was honored as a “Living Legend” on Oct. 25 by the American Academy of Nursing during its annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

The designation “Living Legend” is the highest honor given annually by the AAN in recognition of individuals whose contributions to the nursing profession have advanced health care services in the United States and throughout the world.

“Dean Florence Wald serves as an inspiration to us at Yale and to nurses throughout the world,” said Nursing School Dean Catherine L. Gilliss. “Dean Wald’s work serves as a model of what advanced practice nursing can do.”

Wald founded Hospice Incorporated in Branford, which has become a worldwide model for hospice care. Wald developed a hospice plan that provides humanistic care for terminally ill patients and requires understanding of the concepts of death and dying among nurses.

During her tenure as dean, which spanned 1959 to 1968, Wald implemented reforms in a number of educational programs in the School of Nursing. From 1969 to 1970, Wald continued at Yale as a research associate and from 1970 to 1980 served as clinical associate professor.

–Yale Daily News