Wichita eagle., 1888-11-08
A NOBLE CALLING
HOW TRAINED NURSES ARE TAUGHT
TO TEND THE SICK.
Course of INSTRUCTION. In the Illinois Train
ing SchooI-Care Of Patients In the Big
Hospitals-A Look In the Wards.

ing School-Care Of Patients In the Big
Hospitals-A Look In the Wards.
Trained nurses have proved as much Of a
success in Chicago as have the members of
that dignihed profession in other cities
The Illinois Training school supplies to
large extent the corps Of nurses that have
charge of the Yards in both the county and
Presbyterian hospitals Acting en- the belief
that the value Of tho services of q nurse is
in proportion to their intelligence, capacity
and refinement, the applicants to this school
are subjected TO a months trial, during which
they are carefully examined in all the com
mon school branches Of study. II their record
in 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 r, 4uired.
whether it be IN the hospitals or in private
house Eighty young women are now in
this training school and places could be pro
vided for as many more if the supply were
only equal TO the demand. The day of the
convivial 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 jority of ap-
plicants who desire training for this new pro
fession look forward to gaining livelihood
thereby, and some hope from it life Of use
fitness among the sick poor. The Illinois
Training school is as cheerful as any private
home, and the young women who receive
training there leave when the course is over
with great deal Of reluctance
The practical part of the instruction is
very thorough and includes q 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@ooms 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
for the proper performance of duty. A 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 knowledge - nursing there
must be the quality of housewives, for to
each ward is attached q 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 county
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 in the various stages Of
sickness and recovery, All is quite, orderly
and cheerful A physician enters and after
examining patient turns and speaks word
or two to the nurse Standing near. She gives
no answer but goes to small room ad join
ing and returns in a moment with bandages
and cotton, which she hands the doctor, still
without q word There seems to be some
thing approaching the military in the disci-
pine observed throughout the whole estab-
lishment. On the opposite side Of the ward
faced baby. 1t is not her own, but one Dor
rowed from the lying in ward upstairs. All
the wan faced women turn their eyes toward
tie laughing little thing as in a few mo-
ments nurse bears it from the great sunny
room In the childrenS ward are the same
attendants, some carrying very sick ones in
their arms, and others amusing the little
ones that are able to sit up and hold toys or
books
The patients that linger 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 ali hopes Of recovery, and it is only
by the administration Of patient, skillful at
tention that the fitful flame Is kept alive
few days longer In the well warmed balls
the convalescents and some of the women are
assisting nurse to fold linen for bandages.
Physicians are passing up and down In ele-
vators, and friends come in to visit the pa
tents The Daughters 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-
vided with 500 in money, begin their several
careers. Some get positions as heads of hos
pitfalls, others respond to the ever increasing
demand from private houses, and some COM
mence life work among the sick poor
Chicago Times.