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About VNA – Our History

VNA of SW FL is a community based, Medicare-certified, Home Health Care Agency located in the heart of Southwest Florida, amid white sand beaches and swaying palm trees.

The History of Visiting Nurse Associations

The visiting nurse association concept traces its origins back to 1885. Some 100 plus years ago, the nation was confronted with serious health problems. Smallpox, Cholera, and influenza epidemics were sweeping the nation. It was these conditions which spawned the Instructive Visiting Nurses Societies throughout America. There was a severe shortage of physicians, so nurses and volunteers were pressed into service to deal with the growing national emergency.

Nearly every major city in America soon boasted a visiting nurse association. It became an item of community pride to be associated with a visiting nurse association. Americans of all ages and all walk of life began to volunteer some of their time in outreach services to the sick and poor.

Thus, home health agencies were born in crisis, their primary purpose, being to bring the rudiments of modern health care to those in need. Nurses and volunteers sought out the sick and needy and cared for them in their respective residences. Today, over 500 cities have visiting nurse associations. These worthy social endeavors were supported in large part by philanthropy.

Visiting Nurses Association of Southwest Florida, Inc. was established in 1966 by a volunteer board of directors from Lee County in cooperation with Lee County Public Health Department. VNA, Lee County’s first home health agency, was established in response to a recognized need for skilled medical services regardless of the person’s financial resources.

The purpose of VNA has been to provide medically needed services appropriate to each individual and family in a non-institutional environment, which is both cost effective and more comforting to the client and family. Specific home health services include intermittent visits to clients in their place of residence by nurses, therapists, social workrs, and home health aides. All services are ordered and monitored by a licensed physician. Services range from administration of I.V.’s, care of complicated wounds and telemedicine to supportive or terminal care.

Today, our non-profit VNA continues the tradition of community service started over 120 years ago. We are a member agency of United Way of Lee County and fully accredited by the Community Health Accreditation Program.

For more information about VNA, contact us at Information@visitingnurseswfl.com