Legendary “Notable Nurses
in Alabama’s Black Belt Constance S. Hendricks, PhD, RN, FAAN
Greta Abernathy, RN
Karen Bailey, RN
Jeanette Caddell, RN
Krista Purdie, RN
Sola Popoola, PhD, RN
Ola Fox, DNS, RN
Conflict of Interest StatementThere is NO actual, potential or perceived
conflict of interest among the participants in this presentation as defined by ANCC.
We do not have conflicts of interest or the ability to control or influence the content of an educational activity; nor, do I
have a financial relationship with a commercial interest, the products or services of which are pertinent to the
content of this educational activity.
A Class Assignment➢ This presentation will describe the implementation of an assignment of the Inaugural
cohort in a new RN-BSN program in a faith based private college.
➢ The presentation will describe the assignment and how it was implemented including
making a formal presentation in class with the honored nurse in attendance.
➢ This project supports the national American Nurses Association’s (ANA) initiative “Honor
A Nurse”.
➢ While the four legendry nurses are well known in the community, these RN students were
not familiar with them.
➢ The RN students were randomly assigned to one the four (4) Notable nurses and assigned
to contact them and conduct a taped interview using a flexible interview script prepared
by the Instructor.
➢ The Instructor had obtained prior permission from the notable nurses to provide their
contact information to the student. Part of the consent to Interview included permission
for conference presentation with notice to them once acceptance was received.
➢ Each student conducted a video interview and made a 20 minute presentation in class
with the Notable nurses and community persons in attendance.
Informed Consent
Constance S. Hendricks, RN, PhD, FAAN; Greta Abernathy, RN; Karen Bailey, RN; Jeanette Caddell, RN; Krista Purdie, RN; John L. Hankins, RN, EdD; Sola Popoola, RN, PhD; Ola Fox, RN, DNS
Concordia College Alabama/ Division of Health Sciences/ RN-BSN Program
Nan Curtis, RN ADN, BS, MEd
Born: State Line, Mississippi
Education:
LPN-Good Samaritan in Selma, Alabama.
RN-Wallace Community College in Selma
M.Ed-Auburn University Auburn, Alabama
Married: Mr. Curtis after graduation
Work History:
First Nursing Job: Good Samaritan Hospital,
Selma, AL
• Surgical Scrub Nurse; Staff Nurse in
ICU, ER; Charge Nurse on the Medical
Surgical and Pediatric floors; House
Supervisor; In-service Coordinator at
Good Samaritan
Second Nursing Job: Nursing Instructor at
Riley College, Montgomery, AL
Retired: Dallas County Board of Education,
Selma, AL
Notable Nurse Curtis’ Words: “Nursing
is a Calling to All Who Answer”
Greta Abernathy, RN
Vera J. Booker, RNBorn: Talladega, AL
Education: RN-Grady School of Nursing,
Atlanta, GA
Married: Upon graduation, married
Reverend Booker and moved to Selma
Work history: First Nursing Job:
Commuted daily to St. Jude Catholic Hospital
in Montgomery, AL
Second Nursing Job: Good Samaritan
Hospital, Selma, AL (1965 Civil Rights
Movement)
Last Nursing Job: 1970, Selma Public
Health Department; Retired: 1995, Dallas
County Public Health Department
Notable Nurse Booker’s Words: “Never,
never let the human part of you
stop loving. Never, never let the
human part of you hate.” .
Karen Bailey, RN
Etta S. Perkins, RNBorn: Orriville, AL
Education:
LPN-Good Samaritan Hospital
RN-Wallace Community College Selma
Married: James Perkins, Sr.
Work History:
Naval Station in Illinois
Good Samaritan Hospital
Doctor’s Office
Dallas County Health Department
Notable Nurse Perkins’ Words: :
“If your looking for a profession,
make sure you love people, don’t
mind getting your hands dirty, and
treat them like you would want to
be treated.”
Jeanette Caddell, RN
B
Julia Harris, RN
Born: Thomasville,
Alabama
Education: LPN- Good
Samaritan Hospital
School of Nursing
RN-Wallace Community
College Selma
Married: Married Finis
Harris after LPN
program
Work History:
First Job- Good
Samaritan Hospital,
Selma for 28 years
Julia Harris, RNBorn: Thomasville, Alabama
Education:
LPN- Good Samaritan Hospital School of
Nursing
RN-Wallace Community College Selma
Married: Married Finis Harris after LPN
program
Work History:
First Job- Good Samaritan Hospital, Selma
for 28 years
Second Job: Vaughn Regional Medical
Center
Last Job: Selma Cancer Center
Notable Nurse Harris Words:
“I worked 40 something years as
a nurse and never asked about a
raise or when am I gonna get a
raise because it wasn’t about the
money”
Krista Purdie, RN
Notable Nurse
Etta S. Perkins, RN
Jeanette Caddell,RN
Introduction
Where were you born?
How did you get to the Selma area?
Where did you receive your nursing
education?
Background
Mrs. Perkins has been in the Nursing Profession
for over 50 years.
Nursing Career
Birth Of A Servant Leader
and Notable Nurse
Born September 13, 1936
The eldest of thirteen children
Lived in Talladega until May 24, 1954
Left Talladega to attend college at Alabama State University (ASU) and studied education 1954 - 1956
Attended Talladega for 2.5 years but really wanted to be a nurse
Enrolled at Grady School of Nursing (Georgia) in 1956
Graduated as a diploma nurse, married her sweetheart, and moved to Selma, Alabama
Talladega County
Actions That Changed America
Mrs. Booker’s nursing notes the night she
received Jimmie Lee Jackson
A Nurse Transformed For Life
A Sincere Thank You To A Living Legend
Beloved wife to Reverend Booker and mother to three children
Graduate of Grady School of Nursing and active in the Civil Rights Movement
Attended UAB Nurse Practitioner Program (second class)
Advanced community health in Selma through the Alabama Department of Public Health
Inducted in the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame
A rock star to those blessed enough to know her!
Notable Nurse Mrs. Nan Curtis, RN, BS, MEdGreta Abernathy, RN
RN-BSN Student
Concordia College Alabama
Notable Nurse Nan Curtis, RN
Born in State Line, MS.
Moved to Mobile, Alabama when she was ten years old.
Attended Good Samaritan in Selma, Alabama.
Attended Wallace Community College Selma, Alabama.
Married after school.
Attended Auburn University and earned Bachelor and Masters Degree in Vocational Education.
Notable Nurse Nan Curtis, RN
Has been a nurse for 41 years and counting.
Surgical Scrub Nurse.
Staff Nurse in ICU, ER.
Charge Nurse on Med-Surg and Pediatrics.
House Supervisor.
In-service Coordinator at Good Samaritan.
Nursing Instructor at Riley College
Director of Riley College
Notable Nurse Nan Curtis, RN, BS, MEd
“NURSING IS A CALLING TO ALL WHO ANSWER”
NOTABLE NURSEJULIA HARRIS, RN
KRISTA PURDIE, RN
CONCORDIA COLLEGE ALABAMA
APRIL 18, 2017
JULIA HARRIS, RN❖Born: Born in Clark County in an
area called Thomasville, Alabama
❖ Julia Harris came to this area of the black belt (Selma, AL) by way of an aunt who came home from California for her high school graduation in Mobile, AL.
❖ Education: Julia Harris received her nursing education at Good Sam (Good Samaritan) in 1955. It was there she obtained her LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) certification under the direction of the catholic nuns. She later attended Wallace College and earned her ADN (Associate degree nurse) in the 1970’s.
EXPERIENCE:
My notable nurse began her nursing career working at
Good Samaritan hospital in Selma, Al and remained a
servant leader throughout her career.
She worked in various positions such as a pediatric
nurse, house supervisor, chemotherapy nurse and a
charge nurse on a burn unit.
While working at Good Samaritan Hospital she was
under the direction of Dr. Constance Hendricks, who
served as CNO, which ended in 1983 due to the
closing of the facility.
Unique Nursing Experience and Quotes:
Motivated by three important things that occurred in her life
to become a nurse.
“I loved nursing and if I were younger and wasn’t sick I would work today…matter fact I think I would work even though I’m 79… if I wasn’t sick today”. Harris also stated, “I worked 40 something years as a nurse and never asked about a raise or when am I gonna get a raise because it wasn’t about the money”. –Julia Harris
“What would you like to have accomplished before you stopped working full time?” she stated, “NOTHING! BECAUSE I DID IT ALL!
“I worked 40 something years as a nurse and never asked about a raise or when am I gonna get a raise because it wasn’t about the money”.
Auburn University:
Taking “It” To The People Southern Style
AU: TIPSS
National Nurses Week May 6-12
