Who was the first Nurse Practitioner in the United States?

Loretta Ford is recognized as the first Nurse Practitioner in the United States, having developed the Nurse Practitioner role in the late 1960s. She co-founded the first Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Colorado in 1965, which emphasized advanced clinical training for nurses and expanded their scope of practice to include care for patients in the primary care setting. This was a pivotal moment in nursing history, as it established a bridge between nursing and medicine, allowing for a collaborative approach to healthcare.

The other individuals mentioned, while notable in their own rights, are recognized for different contributions in nursing. Mary Breckinridge is known for founding the Frontier Nursing Service and introducing nurse-midwifery in the United States; Virginia Henderson is celebrated for her work in nursing theory and defining the role of the nurse; and Clara Barton is famous for founding the American Red Cross and her humanitarian efforts during the Civil War. None of these roles align with the establishment of the Nurse Practitioner model as Ford did.