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Founding dean of URMC nursing school dies at age 104

Lee Ford served as the founding dean of URMC’s school of nursing in 1972
University of Rochester
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University of Rochester
Lee Ford served as the founding dean of URMC’s school of nursing in 1972

The University of Rochester community is mourning the recent loss of a health care pioneer.

Loretta (Lee) Ford passed away this week at the age of 104. She was recruited to serve as the first dean of URMC school of nursing in 1972. As dean, Ford developed the standard unification model of nursing which combined education, research and clinical practice.

She retired in 1986.

“What she did for nursing, for interprofessional education, for interprofessional collaboration, and ultimately access to health care and health outcomes cannot be understated,” said Lisa Kitko, current dean of the nursing school.

Kitko praised Ford for taking a holistic approach to healthcare by implementing the unification model of nursing, a trifecta she refers to as the school’s North Star.

“She was always a proponent of everybody bringing their specialty to improve patient outcomes,” Kitko said. “Her unification model is a great example of that it takes a team to really improve health outcomes.”

Loretta (Lee) Ford celebrates her 100th birthday.
University of Rochester
Loretta (Lee) Ford celebrates her 100th birthday.

In the university’s tribute, David Linehan, CEO of the University of Rochester Medical Center and dean of its School of Medicine and Dentistry, credited Ford for “elevating the role of nursing in academic medicine.”

“She demonstrated that nurses are uniquely positioned to provide compassionate, comprehensive care that considers the entire patient, not just their symptoms,” Linehan said.

Ford received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Rochester in 2000. During her commencement speech, she continued her advocacy for nursing and health care.

“It is well known that the health of the community depends on the advancement of both medicine and nursing,” Ford said in a video provided by the university. “If there is not concurrent development for these two professions, as the World Health Organization proclaimed in 1950, the community and the health of the community will not improve.”

Before coming to URMC, Ford co-founded the nurse practitioner model at the University of Colorado in 1965.

Today there are almost 400,000 nurse practitioners nationwide.

Racquel Stephen is WXXI's health, equity and community reporter and producer. She holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Rochester and a master's degree in broadcasting and digital journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.