Ahead of Her Time

Laurie Martin Gunter, Meharry class of 1943, was a pioneer in nursing research

Laurie Martin Gunter, Meharry class of 1943, was a pioneer in nursing research

Of the 150 nurse’s stories told in the book, 50 earned master degrees and 22 earned doctoral degrees, in addition to their nursing degrees. One of the women who eventually received a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in Human Development was Laurie Martin Gunter (Meharry class of 1943). Reading her story, it was clear she was a visionary. Her determination to conduct nurse-led research and recognition of the need for more professional nurses trained in geriatric care are a critical focus for nurse educators today.

Gunter published more than 100 pieces of research during her career and retired professor emeritus of nursing and human development from Pennsylvania State University in 1977. Even after retirement, she organized the first International Conference on Gerontology Nursing in Los Angeles in 1981.