Final answer:
Key early American nurse Charlotte Edith Anderson Monture was a Nursing Sister with the American Expeditionary Force and one of the first woman officer nurses from the Six Nations. Elizabeth Smellie, another renowned nurse, served in both World Wars, contributing to the Canadian Army Nursing service and later becoming the first woman colonel in the Canadian army.
Step-by-step explanation:
One of the best-known early American nurses was Charlotte Edith Anderson Monture, who was a remarkable figure in nursing history not only for her profession but also for her dedication and service during the First World War. Denied admission to Canadian nursing schools due to her indigenous heritage, she found her nursing calling at the New Rochdale Hospital School of Nursing in New York. Her contribution as a Nursing Sister with the American Expeditionary Force's Army Medical Corps underscores the key role of nurses in times of war. Despite First Nations people being exempt from service, Edith Anderson chose to volunteer, making her one of approximately 2,000 First Nations people to do so. She is also noted for being probably the first woman officer nurse from the Six Nations, highlighting her accomplishments amidst gender and racial barriers of the time.
Another noted nurse featured alongside Edith Monture is Elizabeth Smellie, who served in both World Wars. Elizabeth graduated from the Johns Hopkins Training School for Nurses and joined the Canadian Army Nursing service, earning recognition and medals for her service. After the First World War, she became Assistant Matron-in-Chief alongside Margaret Macdonald, helped build the Victorian Order of Nurses, and became the first woman colonel in the Canadian army during World War II. These nurses' stories are emblematic of a larger group of women who made significant contributions to medical care during wartime, often going on to distinguished careers in medicine after their service.