Mary Gibson, PhD, RN

Assistant Professor in Nursing
Assistant Director of the Center for Nursing Historical Inquiry

Mary E. Gibson is a “Double Hoo”, having received her BSN (with distinction) in 1975 and her MSN (Primary Nursing in Society – Community Health) in 1986.  Mary went on to earn her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania in 2007 with focus on nursing and healthcare history. She has lived in Charlottesville since 1972.  She currently serves as Chair of the Family, Community and Mental Health Systems at UVA School of Nursing and an Assistant Director of the Center for Nursing Historical Inquiry.

Mary’s primary area of specialty is Obstetrics, and she demonstrates a strong community focus to her practice.  Her employment experience includes Public Health Nursing, outpatient and inpatient (Labor and Delivery) obstetrics, and she served as a program coordinator for maternal transfers to UVA (1990s), as well as coordinator and data collector for regionalization of high risk pregnancies (late 1970s).    In 1997, Mary joined the faculty of the School of Nursing and has taught in the areas of Community Health and Obstetrics (both classroom and clinical). 

Mary has served as Chapter and Virginia Section Chair of Association of Women’s Health Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.  She is currently Membership Chair of the Beta Kappa Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau. 

• NIH BioSketch

Research Focus

History of Nursing and Healthcare with a focus on early 20th century child health and children with orthopedic disabilities.

Clinical Focus

Obstetrics and Community Health

Teaching Focus

Nursing Care of Women and the Childbearing Family and Community Health

Publications

Journal Articles

Gibson, M. E. (2012). Virginia’s response to the white plague. Windows in Time, 20(1), 10-17.

Gibson, M. E. (2012). [Review of the Web site North Carolina Nursing History, 2012]. Nursing History Review, 21, 115-118. doi: 10.1891/1062-8061.21.109.

Connolly, C., & Gibson, M. (2011). The 'white plague' and color: Children, race, and tuberculosis in Virginia 1900-1935. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 26, 230-238.

Drake, E. & Gibson, M. (2010). Update on expanded newborn screening: Issues for consideration. Nursing for Women's Health, 14(3), 199-211.

Gibson, M. E. (2009). Virginia nursing history. Nursing History Review, 17, 193-195.

Gibson, M. E. (2006). The smallest victims of the "White Plague". Pediatric Nursing, 32(1), 71-72.

Gibson, M. E. (2005). Getting back to basics: The curious history of breastfeeding in the United States. American Journal of Nursing, 105(10), 72C-D.

Gibson, M. E., Bailey, C. F., & Ferguson, J. E. (2001). Transporting the incubator: Effects upon a region of the adoption of guidelines for high-risk maternal transport. Journal of Perinatology, 21(5), 300-306.

Book Sections

Gibson, M. E. (2009). Physiological and psychological changes in pregnancy. In Association of Women's Health, Obstetrics,and Neonatal Nurses (Ed.), Perinatal Orientation and Education Program (pp. ). Washington DC: AWHONN

Gibson, M. E. (2009). Virginia Laurie(1st). In S. Burch (Ed.), Encyclopedia of American Disability History (pp. ). New York: Facts on File Publishing