The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-07-13
TRAINED NURSES
Their Course of Prepar-
alton Outlined by One
Of the Guild.
WHAT THEY CAN EARN AND SAVE.
The Occupation a Hard and Not
Always a Pleasant One-Hints
for Housekeepers.
WHAT THEY CAN EARN AND SAVE.

the ways open Tor cOnSlderaClOn ny
which women may render themselves
self-supporting. 1t attracts at least
three classes of women, those who are
philanthropically inclined. to whose
womanly inclination the nature of the
work appeals strongiyas a means of do
ing good; those who see in it an honor
able way to maintain themselves, and
those who, fit for nothing else. cling
to the exploded idea that any one can
nurse the sick.
At the present moment in the lead
ing training schools for nurses in the
United States there are over 1000
women who are being taught how to
nurse. Were the minor schools added
to these the number would be
doubled.
UNIQUE TRAINING SCHOOLS.
In the first place training schools
for nurses are unique in that they
offer to teach a woman a profession
and guarantee to meet her necessary
expenses during the time she is thus
engaged, for it will be found in that
circular letter of Information sent out
by any of the well-established schools
that provision is made to meet the
actual living expenses of each pupil
during the term of two years that she
is a student, and in addition a
monthly allowance is given, averag-
ing from IS to $40, to supply the nee
essary text books and uniforms.
Upon this allowance do many
women go through their course, and
in some instances, exceptionally
thrifty women have been known to
save, after meeting the necessary out
lays, from fifty to seventy-1ve dollars
during this time. Thus at once can
she devote her entire time and energy
to the work, relieved of the burden of
providing for the n~ecessaries of life,
and with the comfortable feeling that
in illness she is assured of receiving
the best of care. =
At the expiration of her two years
course of study a trained nurse is con
sidered competent to undertake with
out further instruction the grave re-
sponsibility of caring for the sick un-
der any conditions, and the field that
lies before her to select from is broad
and does not want for variety; for
while a trained nurse should be fitted
to undertake whatever ome in her
way in the form of nursing, however,
if she prefers a speciality, there are
many branches to choose from.
If she has a particular aptitude for
hospital work, there are positions to
be- filled as superintendents of training
schools, as head nurses in hospital
wards, night nurses, or. now that anti
septic surgery makes permanent oper-
ating room nurses a necessity, as head
of q surgical operating room. In
smaller hospitals, where there are no
training schools, nurses are in demand
to take the combined position of head
nurse and matron, and others to act
as her assistants. In insane asylums,
sanitariums, homes for incurables and
school inirmaries, the demand is
steadily increasing,
HOW MUCH SHE MAY EARN.
Hospital work, as a rule. does not
give as great a return in actual dollars
and cents as does private duty, but it
has the advantage of being regular
work, with regular definite hours, of
having more home-like surroundings,
fixed vacations for rest and daily as
sociations, other advantages that the
private nurse rarely enjoys. AS a
head nurse in a hospital ward a COM
petent woman commands from $25 to
$50 per month, and a night nurse
about the same. Operating room
nurses range from $50, $40 to $50 per
monthly Ia Sshiall hospitals the aver
age salary flor a superintendent of
nursessias1 5000 per annum. In a num-
ber,of schools of from % to 80 pupils
the salary forsuch a position ranges
from $500 to 81, 600, and in a few of the
larger schools the superintendent re-
.seeive from 81, 200 to 81, 500 per annu1n.
In addition tenthis, a suitable home,
food and laundry are provided. Mis-
sionary and district nurses average
from $35 to $50 per month, the latter
meeting their own living expenses.
Private nurses apparently realize
more than do their hospital sisters, AS
the accepted average rate of payment
for a competent graduate nurse is not
less than $40 to $25 per week. Some
instances there are where hospitals
send out their undergraduates in the
| last few months previous to Flashing
| for SIS per week, and in n school
claiming rank with others, under
graduates are sent out for $40 per
week, at a sacrifice, of course, of the
nurses instruction, but this is purely
the hospitals affair, and financially
does not have any bearing upon
standard fees of graduate nurses.
80 HOW MUCH H MAY SAVE.
What is saved over and above the
actnalexpenses depends entirely upon
the individual woman. With good
health the competent private nurse
realizes an income Of from $500 to 5000
| yearly. Some save from $500 to $4O0,
a few save more, and a greater num-
| Der less than this amount. Appar-
emily the expenses are few in compare
son with the income, but in reality
! they are considerable and must be pros
yided for. Lodgings she must have
even If not occupied more than a week
or two in the year, or a day or two at
a time. When idle her income ceases
and expenses begin, illness must be
taken into account and a provision
made for it. Necessary dress and in
cidental expenses are a large item.
The question may occur to u
woman debating the desirability
| of fakinO< mn this work ia rho