New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-04
A TRAINED NURSE.
sAIREY GAMpS SUCCESSORS.

Admire me in my regmenals7 said fair girl
sranuale-" sirl' By poetic license. being IN the neigh
Dpfhood OF thlry-as she turned slowly around. In
olner mat The writer might have a better view VI her
plpe gingham dr,ss and white cap and apron Il
nave received nv diploma. a7I. and after giving
isHr months more to the iraningschool, TO complete
Inc TWO years engaged to remain their, shall rent
room somewhere uptown, and hguraiiyely speak
ING hang ont my shngle.7
Terms eighteen pence a day for working people,
and three and sixpence for them with means" asked
The writer, recalling sailcy Camp.
No; $40 dollars a week for those who can afford
10 pay professional nurse, and nothing when UNI
dertake to nurs" tho poor. / have worked hard to
learn my profession. and am not going 10 cheaper
H. TWO years ago, nearly. began at the beginning
OF course Of training. The authorities don't wish
woman to know anything about nursing when she
enters training | took care to be com
pete gnoramis, saying nothing Of previous experience
as an amateur Fist / served two months on proba-
tion, at the end Of which time ! accepted. and
since then have received ~ month. i began by
washing milk bottles for the sick babies ward then
took care Of the patients clothes then went into the
ktrben and learned TO make giHel. and chicken
broth, and arrow.root and other things that SICK
people lequIrc then promoted to the surgical
ward, where made myself useful 10
the doctor, and learned to witness snrgl-
learned to spread plastcrs. aud take temperatures,
and feel pulses. etc. and l worked my way until
! became such an Unavailable person that at length
| was sent TO private house ~ take charge Of
cases OF peronltls. The patient was at deaths door
but dragged her away from IT,
Dread res possibility! No: dote on responsibility
| prefer contagious diseases because that gives me
an excuse Tor keeping the PATENT family our OIL me
sick room. You don't know what bother the family
SON inf .befu To
call In, while in fact. they only in the nurses
way II the nurse has the misfortune 10 look
Younger than her age some middlc-agcd mothers are
never coniented ct her have the entire charge Oh
their sick children
How young can a nurse be? Never less than
twenty five at which age a woman VIII nave SENSE
II she is ever going to have it. The framing s'hooi
applicant must be between twenty I'VE ana uhlfV-
five. and must bring letters from a minister and
doctor testlfying that she is sound morally and
physically. One applicant at orr training school
was rejected on account Of her bad teeth III WASN'T
believed 10 be possible that woman could have go0d
health with a mouthfh Of defective aud dlscoiofed
fangs. If she had only gone first to dentist ana
invested ten or twelve dollars in plate OF decent
looking teeth. she would have been accepted, as III
every other respect she up 10 the marx some
ashionably dressed applicants rejected on account
Of their sinful ignorance. they have TO pass an
examination IN the three RS One gOOd-Datunu
creature was dropped after serving her TWO mOnlhS
of probation because Of her loud laugh Inc uoc'ors
insist on cheerfuness in nurse, but l0udlcss is
quite another thing some women are found 10 De
too weak physically 10 make good nurses, but most
Of the reflections among the prObationers are on &C
count Of carelesSuess-thcy neglect to watch syp-
toms. About one applicant IN ten Is accepltH. tVn
that I have graduated shall have an easier uhe ~
the training school. The student nurse dIt,l WIZ
nc ali day has 70 attend ectlircs and take hOles
five evenings i'm the week Here Is one OF my hote
books i'm which you can sec Row nave u'NrIVfcIi
the symptoms Of BpEaS, and iyphOa, ana Haia''Si
II is impressed on Us in the tralnng-school ina,
We nurses see poor human nature az us "rah's, ~
We must learn 10 be parent WIN IT, Ur "a t i
school that 10 be a good muse required me 'chpnr
of an ANGEL cOmbiHe1 with the constitution OF an ailf
gato and have often whle dong PJs 'e rh q,
long a. my patients are good and SICK. but me perOl
Of COM alescence Is my time Of tr.buatlOn Nheh NY
last patient was getnhg ven n. "T gi Nj that
and the other thing for her. rOis NE Out OF NY t.
clinng CHAR az l. o'clock ar hlfhl' ana an III. id ~
VIVID up the musical hoE anu p'a,,t iioy ~ Tho
OF an the trying inwali1geS 100 ms vale! ~ wy
.,add@r' that woman surely took the eah va 1
wen paid The training Nrhool was lau fIU lf 80 rn
for the services Of - Stud 'hi-hlfSe SOL ~,
only u u aiming tn" patient. IN one OF her SMUT
lived fits of gratitude. -a'd she wa ToiuS ~ III IN
un a ring o remember her by. but she never ' M
ana indeed II va, not needed. an IPH,cHIl q
lev mr. some time come ring or no ring as "cnt
iour day. and night- without sep Wheh sic wa
at her worst what kept me ip ny spirit snpp1sr
nv lips 10 when disposed ihonSI al"' nay ,,1
milnicht cup OF tea anI a saho"'" WIG" OH 'P
az w.. know I have chosen difficult and wear
inc I,of.s.on but have thr satisfaction 81 feelng
,iot - h. a tboOughly wOmanly one, ana inc ONO iof
which nature desirnrd me-"