Abstract
Nursing has lost a quintessential family nursing scholar. Vivian Rose Gedaly-Duff was a well-known nurse educator, writer, and researcher in America and was acknowledged in the international community as a dedicated “family health care nurse.”
Vivian Rose Gedaly-Duff, RN, PhD, was born in San Francisco, California, on December 12, 1948, and died at age 63 at her Portland, Oregon, home on September 6, 2012. Vivian’s father, Alfred Gedaly, was a career military man, so Vivian often described herself as an “army brat” growing up around the world in many places such as Europe, North Africa, as well as the United States. Vivian’s mother, Hazel William Gedaly, who was a nurse, was the inspiration for Vivian to become a nurse.
Vivian’s educational trajectory started out by earning her Diploma in Nursing in 1970 from Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She went on to receive her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) in 1973 from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Masters in Nursing (MN) in Maternal-Child Nursing from the University of Washington in 1976, and her Doctorate of Philosophy in Nursing Science (PhD) with a major in Family Health Nursing from the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) in 1984. Even having earned her doctorate, she did not stop learning. She received a postdoctoral fellowship from the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Nurse Scholar’s program and spent 2 years (1988-1990) studying Families and Childhood Pain at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Later she received another postdoctoral fellowship from the School of Nursing at the UCSF to further her knowledge of Symptom Management (pain and children) from 2000 to 2002.
Vivian was an experienced clinician in nursing. She worked as a pediatric staff nurse from 1970 to 1987 in a variety of different health care facilities. She also served as a faculty clinician/consultant at Doernbecher’s Children’s Hospital in Portland and at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She was the Training Coordinator of Nursing for the Oregon Institute of Disabilities and Development at Oregon Health and Science University for 5 years. Her service to nursing practice was long and noteworthy.
Vivian loved being a teacher. She taught at UCSF and University of Portland prior to becoming faculty at Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) School of Nursing. She retired from OHSU after 29 years of teaching. She taught a variety of undergraduate, graduate, and clinical courses, but loved teaching pediatrics and family nursing at all levels. Students liked and respected Vivian as evidenced by several teaching awards throughout her career.
Professional organizations consumed some of her time and energy. She was involved in different capacities with Sigma Theta Tau, Western Interstate Council for Nursing Education, American Nurses Association, Oncology Nursing Society, National Council on Family Relations, and the International Family Nursing Association.
Vivian was a prolific writer. She was published in many journals, such the Journal of Pediatric Nursing, Nurse Practitioner, Pain, Oncology Nursing Forum, and the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. She was one of the editors and author of chapters for several editions of Family Health Care Nursing: Theory, Practice and Research, a text book that became translated and internationally known (see the picture below with the four editors—Vivian is in the upper right hand corner). Vivian also served as a manuscript reviewer for numerous nursing journals, including the Journal of Family Nursing, Journal of Nursing Education, Journal of Pediatric Nursing, Oncology Nursing Forum, and Advances in Nursing Science.
Research was one of Vivian’s passions throughout her career. She started as a research assistant while obtaining her doctorate and ended her research trajectory as the principal investigator for a federally funded research grant over a million dollars through the National Institute of Nursing Research that focused on children with cancer, acute and chronic pain and symptom management, and how children and families cope with the illness.
Co-editors of Family Health Care Nursing: Theory, Practice and Research (5th Ed). Left to right Shirley Hanson (seated), Joanna Kaakinen (standing), Vivian Gedaly-Duff (standing), Deborah Coehlo (seated).
Vivian had a 4-year battle with breast cancer. She was first diagnosed in December 2008 and went through all forms of treatment to achieve a remission. A major reoccurrence came in 2011, and the cancer finally took its toll in 2012. She fought valiantly to live, and she was deeply grateful for family and friends spending time doing activities that brought her great joy. Vivian leaves behind her beloved husband of 34 years, Robert W. Duff, Professor of Sociology at the University of Portland. She also loved her sister Alice Walls and her brother Stephen Gedaly and her many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. She had many friends and students who also considered her as their “family.”
I will always remember Vivian as being a significant friend and colleague from the time I joined the OHSU School of Nursing in 1984 through the time of her death in 2012. We did so many things together including being friends, colleagues, sharing joy and pain, teaching theory/clinical in child and family, partners in Portland’s cultural events, and mentoring each other. I thank you Vivian for the person who you were, and how much you contributed to the lives of your family, friends, colleagues, and students. You were truly a person extraordinaire! You were a role model for many. You are deeply missed, fondly remembered, and forever a friend. Thank you for being a part of our lives as we are all more caring of others for your influence in our lives.
Donations will be accepted by the OHSU or University of Portland Schools of Nursing for their student scholarship programs.
OHSU family nursing colleagues. Left to right: Shirley Hanson, Vivian Gedaly-Duff, Karen Mischke, Doris Julian, and Marsha Heims.
