Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-20
Nursing the Sick.
From All the Year Round.

Nursing the Sick.
From All the Year Round
To minister to the sick is one Of the noblest
ambitions of the present age, as evidenced by
the number of people who voluntarily devote
| themselves to such duties independently of the
calls OF affection or considerations of reward. To
De good nurse requires rare combination OF
excellencies in the same individual-intelli-
gence, physical strength, a kind disposition with
frmness, a light hand and foot, courage greater
Than that which animates the soldier on the bat
tleheld, and, above all, untirng patience. Given
these, and the nurse becomes more than half
the remedy, not only inspiring confidence on the
part OF the patient, but of the surgeon or phv-
stefan also, who can rely that his instructions
Will be carried out with implicit obedience to
the letter. Such a paragon. however. Is rarely
| to be met with, except as an emssary from one
or another of those admirable institutions where
ladies' are trained under skiful management for
this work; and in the vast majority CT cases an
invalid Is placed in the hands of his immediate
friends or relations who. with the best inten-
tions, it must be confessed often prejudice his
comfort and retard his recovery by the very
Over-anXiety which is bred of affection The
object Of this paper is not to convey the instruc-
lions necessary for the education of an accom-
plished nurse-a difficult task--but to enume-
rate a few small points which should be avoided,
as tending greatly to the discomfort of the pa
:
out previous experience, find themselves sud-
denly thrust into this most responsible posi-
ton.
Quetude is great thing, of course. but real
quietude means the absence of all excitement,
and it must be remembered that anything out
of the common will tend to excite the mind of
a sufferer. Do not, therefore walk on tiptoe,
for this, in addition to its unusual elaboration
of the gait invariably causes a certain amount
of creaking. Speak in low tones but don't
yyi1 nff 0n 10 cln
who would not be disturbed by ordinary CONVEX
satiOn; and never say "Hush!" Let YOUR
clothes and foOt-cOvering be of as noiseless and
unobtruslve character as possible. and in
stead OF gliding and tOttering about like a
rickety ghost, do not hesitate to walk, if
you have occasion to say anything in the room
say 1t so that the patient hear it if he wishes
and do not let him be aware of yonr consprine
privately with the others. especially at the door.
That door has much to answer for If it be yisi-
BILE from the bed people open it cautiously put
their heads in and slowly withdraw again. If as
is more frequently the case, it is screened by the
bed curtains, mysterious openings and shuttings
are heard, unattended with any apparent ingress
When you enter do SO honestly and at once; do
not spend five minutes in turning the handle.
like hOusebreaker, thereby producing series
of irritating little clicks, finally terminating
in big snap, with which the door flies
that is slowly wound back in this
way will often stick, and either require to be
ratified back intOpostion, or, left as it is, may
start back suddenly. after time, of its own
accord, with report like pistol shot. It is
always we'll to recollect that it by no means
follows that sick person is asleep because his
eyes are shut; he may be acutely conscious of all
that is passing in the room, though unable or
unwilling to make any sign; and nothing can be
more maddening under such circumstances.
than to have people hush-sh-sng and whisper
ing around and creaking about on the tips of
their toes. We have all sympathzed in our
hearts with poor Leicester Dedlock when his
tongue was smitten with paralysis with his sis
ter constantly bending over him and with clasped
hand murmuring: "He is asleep" till, goa1led
to desperation, he makes signs for his slate,
and writes, 81 am not"
Never stand at the foot Of the bed and look at
the patient. While talking to him. it is better
to sit by the side of the bed and as near the
pillow as possible. SO that you may converse
easily, while your face and body are turned in
the same direction as his. By this means you
can make ali necessary observation of his feat
ares without enforcing the arrest of his eyes to
your own, which is SO embarrassing and dis
agreeable to one lying in bed, and is almost I'M
avoidable when facing him. Keep him in as
comfortable position as possible, by all means.
but don't be too demonstrative in smoothing
the pillows and little Offices of that sort Fdgety
attentions will worry him, and do him more
harm than downright neglect.