MVNA

In 1902, the Associated Charities of Minneapolis met to discuss the need for ‘in-home nursing care’ for the poor. This discussion prompted the hiring of one full-time nurse who walked on foot to client homes and charged $.25 a visit for those who could afford it. From there, MVNA hired more nurses to meet the needs of the community. The outbreak of tuberculosis in the 1900s yielded camps for infected children ran by MVNA. Next, young mothers and the proper care of babies became a focal point as infant mortality was slightly over 10% around 1910 and the teens. Baby clinics opened and soon after, programming to provide care for the ‘Incurables’ (the terminally ill). The most needed service continues to be skilled nursing services: the treatment of wounds, proper medication management, follow up on doctor appointments and public health. Home nursing visits was the founding service in 1902 and it remains today. This year we celebrate our 112th birthday and continue to be a safety net provider to clients of all ages, providing prenatal, parenting, chronic disease management, prevention, wellness, end-of-life and bereavement services. Our staff is truly interdisciplinary, from nurses to social workers to home health aides. Last year, MVNA served over 18,000 individuals and 568 hospice patients, requiring over 81,842 home visits, interpreting in 30 languages and serving 26 counties in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin.