Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-07-05
TIE TRAINED NURSE.
HOW SHE LIGHTENS THE SUFFER-
ING PATIENTS WEARY HOURS.


HHeeping a Record of the Case-work
and Wages.
The training school nurse is a tower of
strength. pillar of support. an angel Of
wisdom and light The things she can
do are past enumerating She can make
bandage. a plaster. or a poultice. and
put it on the patient before the best
housewife can hunt up the soft rag re-
quired in the operation; she can give a
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
its eye 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 Q
pillow and whipping comfort and ease into
it. 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 marmalades. Her skill Is
shown also in the varied combinations she
can make of milk and eggs, cereals, and
AIulIS, dCtudlly ueshlIlS Lu0 pdIlcllt Do
lieve in change of diet without depart
ing from the prescribed fare by the doctor.
Aside from the personal care of the
if the physician calls for 1t, in which is
respiration, and the condition of the
bowels. kidneys. skin and eyes of the
patient. The time Of giving medicine and
10 ole ant he
ing 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 legi-
bility 1t explains itself to any one who
can read, and by referring to the several
entries the physician can treat the patient
from his buggy or Office just as if he went
to the sick chamber which very many
doctors do who are pressed for time. for
in the majority of cases it is nursing
rather than medicine that brings about
cure. Of course. it is to be expected that
some nurses will not reach the standard
here indicated. for they are but human
The physician who encounters an incapa-
BILE nurse is very likely to become preiu-
diced against the entire profession, but it
only requires the services Of good nurse
to put him right again
However. it is q poor rule that will not
work both ways. and there are plenty Of
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 profes-
sions are more or less contentious mas
much as schools differ-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-
TEN is self evident. for it is hardly possi-
bic in the college term of eighteen months
to give the pupil nurse medical educa-
ton. In schools where medical instruc-
tion forms 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 unscrupulous one will not hesitate to
quiet troublesome patient with dose
Of morphine.
In 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 ba fumigated with sulphur or
chlorine paper. after which both nurse
and patient are given an antiseptic bath
and clothed in absolutely clean garments.
In this connection may be stated the as
sistance a nurse renders the surgeon,
whose instruments she disinfects after
each operation Fever n&rsing is the
most expensive to the nurse, as well as
the patron. since 1t requires at least two
weeks to overcome the effects. An
honest nurse win not take surgical or
obstetrical case within ten days after Civ
ing up fever patient. knowing the dam
ger there is Of carrying the contagion in
her hair or some portion of her attire.
Even at her own personal loss the con-
scientious woman will forege 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 a nurse are SIS
q week, but in extreme cases $50 and $40 |
q week is paid. Provision has to be made
for her board. 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 on hygienic as
well as economical principles But it |
must not be imagined that it is all smooth |
sailing in 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 it is |
the duty Of the nurse to look after the |
home as well ss she can. Hot water ne
cessitates her presence in the kitchen, and
In the'preparation of the patients meals
the appetites of the young children are
looked after. One must be the mother of |
q large family and endure sickness and |
poverty to know the value of faithful |
nurse. Some of these patient, self sacri-
icing girls viii manage to prepare the
meals and do the housework, to keep the
children at 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 it were her own.
The ages Of nurses vary from 20 to 35,
color, creed and nationality cutting no
figure in election OF application. The re-
1uirements for admission to the school
for nurses are: A good moral character,
mature age, good health. habit Of order
and cleanliness and sufficient education to
read and write the English language well
enough to fill out blanks on which to
record observations of the sick. The
school term is eighteen moYths.-Chicago
Times.