[1] Although, she initially intended to become a teacher, DeWitt entered the Illinois Training School to learn nursing and graduated in 1891.

"[1] She worked for 16 years as a private duty nurse based in Chicago and was often called to attend to patients out of state, including Massachusetts, North Carolina and Ohio.

[1] In 1910, DeWitt chaired an early conference devoted wholly to private duty nursing by the National Association.

When the editor-in-chief, Sophia French Palmer, died suddenly in 1920, DeWitt was managing editor until a year later when Mary May Roberts was named the journal's co-editor and the two nurses did the job together.

DeWitt resigned from her editing position "of her own volition" on December 31, 1932, leaving Roberts as sole editor.