, 1888-06-23
THE TRAINED NURSE.
HOW SHE ulGHTENs THE SUFFER.
ING PATIENTS WEARY HOURS.

tho Women of the Professional Schools.
EKeepIng n Record of the Cuse-Work
and wnges-
The training school nurse Is a tower Of
strength. a pillar of support, an angel Of
wisdom and light. The things she can
do are past e~numerating. She can make
a bandage, a plaster, or a poultice. and
put 1t on tho patient before the best
housewife can hunt up the soft rag re-
qulred in the operation; she can give a
fevcr patient a full bath under the bed
clothes every hour. and not only clean the
body but stimulate IL; she can wash a
sick child without putting soap suds In
its eye or the wash rag in IT'S mouth; she
can comb hair, get the tangles out with
out hurting, and keep the scalp clean: she
can make a 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
1t, 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
fruits, actually making the patient be.
Heve in a change of diet without depart
ing from the prescribed fare by the doctor.
Aside from the personal care Of the
patient she must keep a record of the case
II the physician calls for 1t. 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
food is also entered. and under the head
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 tho several
entries tho 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 for time, for
In the majority of cases 1t Is nursing
rather than medicine that brings about a
cure. OF course, 1t 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-
bio nurse is very likely to become pre1u-
diced against the entire profession, but 1t
only requires the services of n good nurse
to put him right again
However, 1t Is a poor rule that will not
work both ways, and there are plenty of
Instances on record where q smart, unns-
Stunning young woman has brought about
the dismissal of the attending physician
because his diagnosis of the case was
faulty. Just ut present the two profess
sions are moro 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 INSIDE
meanor. The wisdom of the latter sys-
tenn Is self evident, for 1t is hardly posi-
BILE In the college term of eighteen months
to give the pupil nurse a medical educa-
ton. In schools where medical instruo.
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. II the
nurse Is tired and feels herself unequal
to the task imposed, her first inclination
Is to take a hypodermio injection, while
an INSCRIPTIONS one will not hesitate to
quiet q troublesome patient with a dose
of morphine.
In cases of c%ontagion the duties of the
nurse are most onerous. Every square
inch of the room has to be scrubbed with
soap and waterfalls, windows, sash,
Dashboard, bedstead, table and chairs
and afterward treated to a 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 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 nursing 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 will not take a surgical or
obstetrical case within ton days after CIV
ing up a fever patient, knowing the dan
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 forego an engage
ment rather han 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 q nurse are $15
a week, but in extreme cases $50 and $40
a 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 OPP
tional with the women, most of them con-
tinue to wear 1t In service on hygienic as
well as economical principles. But 1t
must not be imagined that II 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
VI htto VI ~ OuS 10 btEIChOl dOWh Y ID
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 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 a faithful
nurse. Some of these patient. self sacri-
fcing girls will manage to prepare the
meals int 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
leotor of bills. and handle the family purse
with greater care han II 1t were her own.
The ages of nurses vary from 30 to 85,
color. creed and nationality cutting no
figure In election or application The re-
quirements for admission to the school
for nurses are; A good moral character,
mature age, good health, a 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 months.-Chicago
Times.
They Took Wine,