The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-03
TRAINED NURSES.
Work for Which Women Are Peculiarly
Adapted and v nich Is Well Paid.

Adapted and v INCH Is Well Paid.
In this world of suffering many find their
life work beside the couches of the sick and
DYING. Some have this work thrust upon
them by the stern hand. of duty; others
voluntarily devote their lives TO lessening
the human misery to be found about them.
while third class undertake the work for
money.
Necessity or a desire for independence
sends forth each year large number Of
young women to swell the ranks of the
worlds workers. and TO me none seem to
have chosen nobler calling or to be better
equipped for LIES work than the army of
trained nurses sent out from our hospitals
Those who have served the apprenticeship,
varying in time from eighteen months to
three years, go forth, not necessarily hard
ened, but accustomed 20 sights and sounds
of suffering, trained not TO give way to
their feelings on even the most trying oc-
casions, TO obey the doctors orders to the
letter. to note the slightest change in the
patients condition, to follow the best
methods for promoting the comfort Of the
sick and assisting nature il her efforts to
restore health.
There is demand for this sort Of knowl-
edge and it is profitable from financial
standpoint. Trained nurses receive good
wages, the most profitable field of work
being the large cities. OF course every
one may not succeed in this work. am
informed that hardly one-haf Of the pro
bationers at q certain woman's hospital
finish the course. Some find the work
harder or more disagreeable than they ex-
pected, cannot overcome their nervousness
at beholding painful operations or foI
various other reasons, but those whom it
has been my pleasure to know who have
finished the course and are now working
Independently of the hospital, are quite de
voted TO their work.
| have several friends and acquaintance
who are trained nurses, and perhaps few
items from the experience Of one who has
recently spent part OF her well earned va
cation with me may be Of interest to those
young women who are about TO choose
some vocation. She commenced teaching
at seventeen. After five years work she
found herself worn and nervous, with very
little love or enthusiasm for teaching, but
work she must as her parents were poor.
Just ct this time lady OF her acQuaint-
ance was taken i'll and she was persuaded
to undertake the nursing of her. She sue
ceeded so well that the doctor and friends
urged her to fit herself for this work.
Sending an application, together with
certificate Of health from physician and
recommendation nom her pastor, to q hos
pital for women and children, she was
voted in ON months probation, donned
her uniform OF striped gingham, with white
apron and cap, and went to work.
The first few weeks were homesick ones,
but, as she wrote 'They pay very little at
tention to that kind of sickness" and her
only remedy was hard work.
The kitchen matchmaking Of gruels,
poultices and various other disagreeable
duties-was given to the newcomers. bat
as they became more skillful their lot was
easier.
At the close of her probation she was ac-
cepted and at the end Of eighteen months
graduated with honor For her services at
the hospital she received from six to twelve
dollars month, board and washing. She
had regular hours of work, regular meals
and a certain amount Of instruction in tie
form Of medical lectures. followed by ex-
aminations. Her services, siuce her grad
uation, have been In demand at fifteen dol
lars q week.
While under training, nurses are often
sent out In the city 70 nurse their wages,
excepting the regular salary, going TO the
hospital. At this particular hospital the
nurses, physicians and superintendent
were women, and It is unnecessary to state
that IN spite Of hard work the nurses man
aged to have some enjoyable times
My friend and several other nurses
rent furnished rooms in a physicians
house, which they occupy between eases or
when they need rect. Two nurses room
together, thereby lessening expense Of
rent, but It seldom happens that both are
free to occupy It ~ the same time. One
comes and another goes Busy liveal BIZ,
are not the busiest people the happiestf-
Mary SIosson Etsts1a ia Hcusekeepsg.