The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-01-25
MISTAKES IN NURSING.

A physician contributes 10 Chambers
Journal paper on the nursing of the
sick, from which we extract the most
practical portion of the M. DIS sug-
cestions. It will be observed that the
writer dwells upon the Importance of
avoiding over-attention Oh the part of
the attendant in the sick room, and the
importance Of quietude, which he de-
fines as the absence of all excitement,
and it must be remembered, the writer
further adds. that anything ont of the
common will tend to excite the mind OF
sufferer. Do not, therefore, walk on
tiptoe, for this. in addition to its unr-
sual elaboration of the gait, invariably
causes certain amount of creaking.
Speak in low tones, but don't whisper;
whisper will often awaken sleeper
who would rot be disturbed by Ordina-
ry conversation; and never say
.'Hush!" Let your clothes and foot
covering be OF as noiselcss and unob-
trusive character as possible, and in
stead of gliding and tot.ering about
like rickety ghost, do not hesitate 10
walk. Ii you have occasion 10 SAY any
thing in the room, say it so that the
patient can hear it ii he wishes, and do
not let him be aware Of your cOnspir-
ing privately with the others. especially
at the door.
That door has much to answer for.
II il be visible from the bed. people
open il cautiously, put their heads in.
and slowly withdraw again. II, as IL
most frequently the case, it is screened
by the bed curtains, mysterious open
In onA ch.,vfip hoo rA a fnnI-
ed with any ingress or egress. and
soto roce colloquies go on outside.
When you enter. do 80 honestly and at
once; do not spend five minutes in turn
ing the handle, like q housebreaker.
thereby producing q series of irritating
little clicks, finally terminating in
big snap, with which the door flies
open. Ii the latch he at all rusty.
handle that is slowly wound back in
this way will often stick. and either re-
quire to be ratified back into position.
or, IL left rs 1t Is. may start back sud-
denly after a time of its own accord
with report like pistol shot. 1t is
always well 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 moth
ing can be more maddening. under
such circumstances. than to have peo-
pie hush-sh-ing, and whispering
around. and creaking about on the tips
of their toes. We have all sympathized
in our hearts with poor Sir Leicester
Dedlock when his tongue was smitten
with paralysis. with his sister constant
ly bending over him with clasped hands
and murmuring. '.IIe is asleep! till,
goaded 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 1t Is better to sit by the side OF
the bed. and as near the pillow as pos
sible, so that you may converse easily,
while your face and body are turned in
the same direction as bis. BY this
means, you can make all necessary
views of his features without enforcing
the arrest of his eyes to your own,
which is so embarrassing and disagree
able to one lying in bed. and is almost
unavoidable when facing him. Keep
him in rs comfortable position as pos
sible. by all means, but don't be too
demOnstrative in smoothing the pillows
and little Offices of that sort. Fidgety
attentions will worry him, and do
him more harm than downright neg
lect.
When you are sleepy, it is better for
your charge, as well as yourself, that
you should go to bed at once, and get
that repose In slumber to which you
must succumb eventually, however
strong your devotion may be, and how
ever great the interests at stake. 1t is
not necessary to dwell here on the pru-
dence Of economizing your strength,
that you may be capable Of greater or
prolonged exertions, should the need
for them arise, or to look at this detail
from the point of view which affects
yourself. But In any case. you can be
Of little or NO service, worn out with
fatigue, and In condition more akin
to somnambulism than vigilance, and
the spectacle of nodding. dozing nurse
is neither soothing nor reassuring to
the sufferer; while, Il You be one near
and dear to him. he will b tormented
with anxiety lest you should impair
your own health on his account In