The Portland daily press., 1895-11-12
TRAINING NURSES.
Report of the Superintendent of the
school at the Maine General Hospital.

port of the superintendent VI Ohe 1rain-
ing School for Nurses at the Maine Gen
eral Hospital:
To the Directors and Resident Physi-
clan of the Maine General Hospital:
Gentlemen Il have the honor of sub
uniting to you more detailed report of
the Training School for Nurses than has
been made in former years; and am glad
| tos present it under separate head, Gin
stead of having it Incorporated into the
| Hospital report as has been the custom
| heretofore
II seems to me that the most excellent
work done by the nurses should have
broader recognition: and that the Train
| ing School should thus publicly declare
its progress, and make known its needs.
The year Just closed has been one of
unusual interest and marked progress on
| the part of the nurses, In all departments
of the work Beginning the year, as we
did, with large proportion of our num-
Der new nurses and probationers, the out
look was rather discouraging- But the
senior nurses rose to the emergency, and,
inspiring the younger ones with deter
mination to excel, they rapidly became
| efficient; and we passed through the
critical period smoothly and successfully.
| In tho recitations and lectures, also,
| there has been most pleasing interest
exhibited on the part of the pupils.
Inc COure6 VI 6uluy IuCluu6S. Inc
making and changing of beds, manage
ment Of helpless patients, moving, chang
ing, giving baths in bed. and preventing
bed sores. The preparation and applica-
ton of lamentations, poultices and all
counter irritants with the management
of blisters. The application of cups and
leeches, with subsequent treatment; the
administration of enemata, and use of
the female catheter: Bandaging, making
bandages and rollers. and lining Of
splints. The preparation of food. togeth-
er with drinks and stimulants for the
sick; the art of ventilation, both in
private houses and hospital wards, and
all that pertains to night in distinction
from day nursing. They are taught to
make accurate observation of the
secretions, expectoration, pulse, skin.
appetite, temperature of the body, intelli-
ence, las to deliIium or stupor) breathiI g,
sleeping, condition of wounds, eruptiohs
and the formation of pus. To observe
the effect of diet, stimula nts or medi-
cines, and to learn the management of
convalescenus. They are also taught
how to prepare patients for all examina-
tions, the technique of the operating
room, and to assist at operations. How
to administer anaesthetics, and to care
for patients during. anaesthesia. Special
attention Is given to emergencies, both
surgical and medical, and to the dressing
of wounds To the nurses duties in ac-
cidents which are liable to occur in both
hospital and private nursing. To the
tire atment of patients suffering from
shock, syncope, fracture, dislocation.
sprain, bite or sting. They are taught
how to control hemorrhage, external and
internal, and what TO do in case of fire,
burns, scalds, foreign bodies in the eye,
ear, nose, throat, OF in cases of asphyxia,
sunstroke, lightning stroke, freezing,
convulsio.s, apoplexy, and how to use
the proper antidotes and restoratives in
cases of poisoning. Following this is a
curse In Anatomy and Physiology, and
Textbook of Monthly Nursing Ia
series Of lessons in sick room cookery is
given to each class; but we feel that we
cannot do satisfactory work in this direo
tion, till we can have diet kitchen,
where the nurses can have continued
practice in tie preparation of foods. This
can only be brought about, when there
has been an addition to the Hospital of
a dormitory for nurses, which will enable
us to use rooms, now occupied by them,
for other purposes. The nurses are, also,
given term in the disIensary. where,
duner the supervision of one of the house
doctors, they are taught how to put up
medicine, and, in this way, get quite
practical knowledge of Materia Medica.
Massage is also taught, one hundred and
fifty six lessons having been given dur
ing the past year.
Our lecture course, during the past
year, was most valuable and instructive
one despite the fact that there were sew
eral Interruptions, owing to the sudden
call of the lecturer to attend some critical
case out of the city.
The following SUBJECTS were taken up:
The structure of the cell; its properties
and functions as illustrative of the func-
tional character of the tissues Compost
ton of the blood; the phenomenon of
coagulation, and its causes. Anatomy
Of the heart; it's cavities valves, beat,
heart sounds, circulation. Respiration, /
air passages and lungs respiratory move
ments, objects Of respiration. Compost
ton of air; changes in blood and air dur
ing respiration, respiratory centre, pneu-
mogastric nerve, notifications of respira-
try of food. Animal heat, how produced
and how regulated. Effect of alcohol
upon temperature of the body. Diges-
ton, objects Of, fluids and ferments con.
cerned in digestion. Absorption and as
sanitation. Secretions and excretions OF
the body, and their.relations to nutrition.
The nervous system, functions of the
The special senses. Anatomy and
physiology of the eye. Anatomy and
physiology of the ear. Structure of the
bones, landmarks of the body Anatomy
of the muscles, blood vessels, skin Lo-
cation and function of the internal Or
gans. Intantile diseases, cry, facial ex-
preston, other symptoms. Bateriology
theory of. Theory of sepsis. modes of
aseptic treatment. Wounds: inflamma-
tions repair of wounds. Principles of an
tiseptic and aseptic surgery. Prepare
ton for abdominal operations. Abdomi-
nal operations and after-treat ment OF
patients. Emergencies: hook, hemor-
rhages etc. genealogical terms and an
aesthesia. Nursing in Foreign Hospitals.
Infectious germ diseases: septicemia,
pyemia, erysipelas, tie tanus etc. Glasses
of bacteria, with microsoopical demon
stration. Action Of bacteria upon the
tissues
The above Lectures were sgiven by DR..
Chas. D. Smith. DR.. Addison Tnayer,
DR.. J. +. Thompson, DR.. Alfred King