The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-08
THE TRAINED NURSE.
HOW SHE liGHTENS THE SUFFER-
ING PATIENTS WEARY HOURS.
Valuable Services In the Sick Room Of
the Women Of the Professional Schools.
keeping Record OF the Case-work
aud Wages.

keeping Record OF the Case-Work
aud Wages.
The training school nurse Is tower OF
strength, pillar Of support, an angel OF
wisdom and light. The things she can
do are past enumerating She can make
bandagc. a plaster or "A poultce. and
put il on the patient before the best
housewife can hunt up the soft rag re-
quired in the operation; she can give O
fever patient full bath under the bed
clothes every hour, and not only clean the
BODY but stimulate it; she can wash a
sick child without putting soap suds In
it's eve or the wash rag in its mouth; she
can comb hair. get the tangles out with
out hurting, and keep the scalp clean; she
can make bed without removing the in
valid or exposing any part of the body,
and she has the faculty Of beating up a
pillow and whipping comfort and ease into
il. She is also an excellent cook and can
prepare many tempting dishes for her
patients such as broths and bouillon.
toast waters, gruels, custards, blanc
mango and marmslGdes. Her skill Is
shown also in the varied combinations she
can make Of milk and eggs. cereals, and
fruits actually making the patient be-
Eeye In a change of diet without depart
ing from the prescribed fare 10y the doctor
Aside from the personal care OF the
patient she must keep record OF the case
il the physician calls for it, in which Is
hourly noted the temperature, pulse,
respiration. and the condition of the
bowels, kidneys. skin and eyes of the
patient. The time of giving medicine and
Il. nd a
inr remarks" is noted the amount OF
food and sleep taken, effects of medicine
and whatever variations there may be In
the case No school report is made out
with greater accuracy. neatness, or legl-
bility Ii explains itself to any one VINO
can read. and 10y referring to the several
entries the physician can treat the patient
from his buggy or Office just as II he went
to the sick chamber, which very many
doctors do who are pressed Tor time, Tor
in the majority Of cases 1t IS nursing
rather than medicine that brings about a
cure OF course, il is to be expected that
some nurses will not reach the standard
here indicated. for they are bat human
The physician who encounters all incapl-
bic nurse is very likely TO become preju
diced against tho entire profession, but IL
only requires the services OF good nurse
to put him right again
However, it is poor rule that Will not
work both ways. and there are plenty oi
instances on record where smart, unas-
suming Young woman has brought about
the dismissal Of the attending physician
because his diagnosis OF the case was
faulty. Just at present the two PROBES
sionS are more OF less contentious mas
much as schools difer-one granting the
privilege of administering medicine TO the
graduated nurse and other training
schools making such action a miSde-
meanor. The wisdom of the latter sys
tenn is self evident, for il is hardly posi-
BILE In the college term of eighteen months
10 give the pupil nurse Il medical educa
ton. In SCHOOL, where medical instruc-
ton forms a part OF the graded course
there Is danger that the administration Of
bromides, narcotics and opiates Will be
carried to the verge of rashness. If the
nurse is tired and feels herself unequal
to the task imposed, her first inclination
is TO take hypodermic injection. while
an INSCRIPTIONS one will not hesitate TO
quiet troublesome patient with dose
of morphine.
Ia cases of cOntagiOn the duties of the
nurse are most OnerOus. Every square
inch of the room has to be scrubbed with
soap and water-walls, windows, sash,
Dashboard, bedstead table and chairs
and afterward treated to disinfectant
sponging This operation done with, the
place must be fumigated with sulphur or
chlorine paper. after which both nurse
and patient are given an antiseptic bath
and eliot he'd in absolutely clean garments.
In this connection may be stated the as
sistance nurse renders the surgeon.
whose instruments she disinfects after
each operation. Fever nursing is the
most expensive to the nurse. as well as
the patron, since it requires at least two
weeks TO overcome the effects. An
honest nurse will not take a surgical or
obstetrical case within ten days after Civ
ing up fever patient, knowing the dan
ger there is of carrying the cOntagion i'll
her hair or some portion OF her attire.
Even at her own personal loss the CON
scientious woman will forego an engage
ment rather than expose her patients TO
the chances of fever. During the respite
she lives largely in the open air and re-
peats the antiseptic bath
The minimum wages of nurse are Sl5
week. but i'll extreme cases $50 and $40
week is paid. Provision has to be made
for her hoard. SO that the salary is clear
gain While the uniform of null and
cap and seersucker gown is wholly op-
tional with the women. most of them con-
tinue to wear it in service OH hygienic as
we'll as economical principles. But it
must not be imagined that II is all smooth
sailing III the house where disease reigns.
All the people who employ nurses do not
keep help. and In cases where the mother
or head Of the house is stricken down il is
the duty of the nurse to look after the
home as well as she can. Hot water ne
cessitates her presence in the kitchen, and
in Incorporation Of the patient meals
the appetites of the young children are
looked after One must be the mother of
large family and endure sickness and
poverty TO know the value of faithful
nurse. Some of these patient. self sacri-
icing girls will manage to prepare the
meals and do the homework. to keep the
children ut school and away from the sick
room She will chop wood, carry up coal,
sweep darn, and shop. stave off the col
lector Of bills. and handle the family purse
with greater care than ii il We're her own.
The ages of nurses vary from 20 TO 81,