Loretta Ford was a nurse in rural Boulder County in the 1940s and 1950s. Her job included everything from caring for sick schoolchildren to monitoring local water supplies. But, as a nurse, she was never allowed to diagnose a patient or prescribe treatment. That was for doctors -- who were often far away. So, sometimes she broke the law and did those things anyway. Eventually, Ford helped pioneer the nurse practitioner movement. The idea was to give nurses more responsibility — and help ease the doctor shortage. For her work, Ford was recently inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York. The hall already includes media mogul Oprah Winfrey and former Secretary of State Madeline Albright. Loretta Ford speaks with Ryan Warner. (Originally aired Oct. 25, 2011)
[Photo: National Women’s Hall of Fame, Seneca Falls, New York]
