Foerster 's career began as a public health nurse working with the Infant Welfare and Jewish Aid Societies of Chicago . In 1911 , she enrolled as a relief nurse with the American Red Cross and began working at Michael Reese Hospital . She joined the disaster relief nurses of the Red Cross to help with the 1913 Ohio flood . In September 1914 , Foerster went with a contingent of Red Cross nurses from Chicago to establish a hospital in Kiev . In June , 1915 , Foerster , along with Charlotte Burgess , Alice Gilbourne and Rachel Torrance were transferred from the Kiev units to the Serbian Units . They returned in August to the United States and Foerster was recognized by the Russian government with the Cross of Saint Anna for her service . Forester began working at the Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago , where she remained until 1916 . Simultaneously , she was working at the Rush Medical Dispensary , where she served as head nurse . In 1917 , the Red Cross sent her to Romania and after serving for a year , she was awarded with a brevet order third class for her service from the Romanian government . The following year , she was awarded the Order of the Cross of Queen Marie by the Romanian government
1913 Ohio flood
Great Flood of 1913
Alma E. Foerster