The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-03-04
Lady Nurses.

Much has been lately SAID OF the pen
efits that would follow if the calling Of
sick nurse were elevated to a profession
which an educated lady might adopt
without a sense of derogation, either on
her own part or in the estimation of
others. A writer in an English period
ical suggests that this result could be
brought about by raising the scale OF
remuneration in the case of such lady
nurses. He adduces the instance of the
surgeon, who was formerly mere me-
chanical assistant of the physician, and
frequently combined the office with
that of barber, but who is now a gen
tleman, receiving as high fees and held
in the same estimation as other mem
bers of the medical profession. 1t APP
pears evident, however, that the writer
mistakes the effect of the cause. The
surgeon of the present day IS not re-
spected because he receives high fees
but he obtains these fees because he is
respected, and he is respected because
he is a well educated and thoroughly
trained professional man.
There can be no doubt that the du-
ties of sick nurse, to be properly per
formed, require an education and train
ing little, if at all, inferior to those
possessed by members of the medical
profession. To leave these duties to
untaught and ill-trained persons is as
great mistake as it was to allow the
Office of surgeon to be filled by one
whose proper calling was a mechanic
of the humblest order. The manner in
which reform may be effected is east
ly pointed out. Every medical college
to have a course of study and training
specially adapted for ladies who desire
to qualify themselves for the profession
of nurse; and those who had gone
through the course, and passed the re-
quisite examination, should receive a
degree and diploma, which would at
once establish their position in society
| The graduate nurse would in gener-
al estimation be as much above the or
binary nurse of the present day as the
professional surgeon of our tines is
above the barber-surgeon of the last
century.
1t would not, however, be necessary
| that the professional nurse should be
/ educated in q medical institution, al
though the degree or diploma should
In all cases proceed from one In this
respect the example of the English uni
versities might befollowed, in awarding
degrees to out-students who are found
qualified to pass the requisite examin-
alton. Physicians (either doctors or
doctreSSeS) might receive pupils desir-
Gus Of qualifying themselves for the
profession of nurse. If the pupil had
alreadya good general education (Which
would be absolutely essentiaD, a year
devoted to the special studies of medi-
cine and science, and another year OF
reading and practice combined, would
probably be sufficient for this object
1t must be borne in mind, however,
that IN this profession, as in all others,
there would be no short road to pro-
ticiency, and that the higher the quail
iicatlons the better, as a general rule,
would be the remuneration.
When once the value of the "gradu-
ate nurses" becomes known, there is
no doubt that the demand for them
would be very great. Every village of
a thousand inhabitants would, with the
country about it, give. occupation for
two or three, st least. Ia any case of
severe or protracted illness, their SER
vices would be called for as a matter of
totilot, "l1t1 tliC circumstances Oh Tie
amily allowed it. Every physician would
be glad to recommend an assistant, on
whose intelligent cooperation he could
rely, and who would be too well-in-
formed to interfere with his treatment.
as uneducated nurses are apt to do.
| There are many diseases i II which the
patient must owe his recovery chiefly
to diet, regimen and careful attendance
In all such cases the graduate nurse
would be invaluable. La committing
the control Of the sick room into her
hands, the family would feel the same
sense ofre1lef and security as is felt by
the passengers III a ship when, IN
stormy weather off a dangerous coast,
an experienced pilot comes on board to
take charge Of the vessel
There would be the further advantage
that the nurse would not be an ignorant
and unretined person, with whom asso-
cation would be unpleasant but an ed
ucated lady, who would form an accept
able addition to the family circle, dur
ing a period of anxiety and trouble
one who could give useful counsel on
many subjects besides those of the sick
chamber, and who would know how to
economic not only her own health and
strength, but the health and strength
of the household, which are apt to be
taxed too severely when any member OF
it Is i'll for a long period In short,
whenever such a profession is once es-
tablished, it will soon be deemed as
useful and respectable as any other
and, to revert to our former compari-
son, we shall wonder as much that we
could have done without its members
as we now wonder that orr ancestors
were content to allow the operations OF
surgery to be performed by hair
cutter.