Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-11-01
A NOBLE CALLING
HOW TRAINED NLRSEs ARE TAUGHT
 TO TEND THE SICK.

Course of Instruction in the Illinois Train
 ing School-Care of Patients in the Big
 Hospitals-A Look in the Wards
 Trained nurses have proved as much of q success in Chicago as have the members of that digniied profession in other cities
 The Illinois Training school supplies to a large extent the corps of nurses that have charge of the wards in both the county and
 Presbyterian hospitals. Acting cn the belief that the value of the services of a. nurse is ID proportion to their intelligence, capacity and refinement, the applicants to this school arc subjected to months trial, during which they are carefully examined in all the com mon school branches of study. If their record i'll every way is satisfactory they are invested with the uniform and enter at once upon the regular course of instruction, consisting of study from text books, medical lectures and practical work in either hospital
 After year in the school pupils are ex- pected to perform any service required. whether 1t be Ill the hospitals or in private house. Eighty young women are now in this training school and places could be pro- i vlded for as many more if the supply were only equal to the demand The day of the convlvlal Sairy Camp is no more, for people are fast recognizing the fact that getting well when one has been sick is as much a matter of good nursing as hard dosing. Even more so in many cases. The ma aioritv of ap- plcants who desire training for this new pro- fesslon look forward to gaining a livelihood thereby, and some hope from it life of use- 1 fulnesS among the sick poor The Illinois i Training school is as cheerful us any private | home, and the young women who receive a training there leave when the course is over With great deal of reluctance
 The practical part of the instruction is very thorough and includes a knowledge of the management of helpless patients, making beds, giving baths in bed, bandaging, the dressing of blisters, making poultices, and preparing, cooking and serving delicacies for the sick. They are taught how to venti- late rooms properly, to take observations for the physician, care for rooms, and manage convalescents. They learn how to take and record the state of the pulse, temperature appetite, delirium or Stupor, breathing sleep, condition of wounds, and effect of medicine, diet, stimulant, or narcotic. A superintendent has charge of the entire corps and is responsible to the medical staff Tor the proper performance of duty. \ com petent head nurse is in each ward to look after both the night and day nurses, and with attending physicians gives instructions to the novices at the bedside of patients. In addition to q knowledge of nursing there must be the quality of housewives, for to each ward is attached dining room for con- valescents, and for the care of that, with the kitchen, store rooms, and linen closets the head nurse must account.
 A look in at any of the wards in the countv hospital will reveal two, three, or more of these tender women clad in blue and white striped dresses of seersucker, each capped with snowy white muslin and wearing long white aprons and cuffs. They are going about from cot to cot miniStering to the wants of patients ill the various stages of sickness and recovery. All is quite, orderly and cheerful A physician enters and after examining patient turns and speaks a word or two to the nurse standing near. She gives no answer, but goes to a small room adjoin- ing and returns in moment with bandaces and cotton, which she hands the doctor still without word. There seems to be some thing approaching the military in the disci- plne observed throughout the whole estab- lishment. On the opposite side of the ward lies woman hugGing close to her a fat facod baby. 1t is not her own, but one bor- rowed from tho lying in ward upstairs. All the wan faced women turn their eyes toward the laughing little thing as in a few mo- ments nurse bears it from the great sunny room. ln the children's ward are tho same attendants, some carrying very sick ones ill their arms, and others amusing the little ones that are able to sit up and hold toys or books.
 The patients that finger on the borderland of death are cared for in small rooms that contain but three beds each. Here the labors of the nurse must be unremitting, although little or no medicine is required Many of the poor men and women lying in these beds are past all hopes of recovery, and it is only by the administration of patient, sl1illful at tention that the fitful flame is kept alive few days longer. In the we'll warmed halls the convalescents and some of the women are assisting nurse to fold linen for bandages | Physicians are passing up and down ill ele- | vators, and friends come ill to visit the pa | tients. The "Daughtcrs of the King" are scattering beautiful blossoms everywhere
 Upon the completion of their labors in the training school the nurses, furnished with | diplomas signed by the managers and the | examining board of the hospitals and pro- l vided with $1OO in money, begin their several l careers. Some get positions as heads of hos pitals, others respond to the ever increasing | demand from private houses, and some com mence a lifo work among the sick poor.- Chicago Times.
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