She was one of the first six American recipients of the Florence Nightingale Medal, awarded by the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1920.

[2] Johnson became director of the Department of Nursing, Atlantic Division, American Red Cross in 1917, during World War I.

[3] She was responsible for equipment and over ten thousand Army, Navy, and Red Cross nursing personnel between embarkation and debarkation.

"[6] Johnson remained active with the New York chapter of the American Red Cross, as its director in 1923.

[8] During World War II, Johnson ran the chapter's nurse recruiting service.