The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-12
Florence Nightingale'S
Ideas Developed.
A Resume of the Work That
Has Already Been Done.
Success Depends on Graduation
From an Organized School.

ever ala wltnout tnem; anu ndruor stiii
tossreali 20 that when they first made their
appearance they were met with little but
suspicion and dislike from the medical
world. The reports OF recent graduates
in the various training schools have been
filled with glowing tributes to the beauty
and sacredness of the nurses calling, and
tho nurses themselves, much TO their
amusement doubtless, have been called
"ministering angels, messengers OF
healing etc. yet when the first Ameri-
can training school was opened, IL con-
nection with Bellevue Hospital. In 1873,
the profession was regarded with such
disfavor that it was difficult TO get gem
tlewopon to go into IL, and the managers
had TO advertise far and wide TO get the
class of six which graduated the second
year.
trained nursing Is that it Is the only one
into which women did not have TO force
themselves, the trained nurse being en-
tirely the result of the need OF the public
for her, not OF her for the public. The
Bellevue training school had its origin in
an attempt to reform the nursing OF that
institution, and every training school
that exists today was started simply TO
supply nurses for the hospital with which
IL Is connected.
In 1872 the nursing in bellevue was
The nurses were Indifferent TO the welfare
of the patients, Inadequate In number,
nearly all illiterate, some immoral and
others intemperate. The fact was brought
TO the notice of some ladies OF the State
Charities Aid Association, who were in
the habit of visiting the hospital weekly
and after trying various reforms In vain
they decided that the system of nursing
must be changed. Taking as their model
tho school connected with st. Thomas
Hospital in London, they communicated
with Miss Florence Nightingale, in whose
idea it had originated, and then laid their
plan before the committee OF the Medical
Board, which, as a whole reported on 10
favorably, though much skepticism existed
among the elder members The hostile
doctors for a long time took no pains to
conceal their objection To the presence OF
the nurses and the old nurses lost no
opportunity to treat them with rudeness,
but in the course of time the improved
condition of the few wards allowed the
school excited the envy of those physicians
whose wards were under the old regime,
and before they were aware of 1t their
prejudices had vanished. This was
twenty-five years ago, and now the
graduates of the school number 45O, and
1900 applicants have been received In
single year.
As for training schools today their name
is legion. Every little city and town has
its hospital and training school. and the
cry everywhere is that the profession Is
oyercrowdei This Is not true, however.
for most of these schools turn out indiffer
ent nurses and for the good ones there is
plenty of work. There may be too many
trained nurses in New York, but there
are many other cities where there are not
enough, and it is probable that one i'm
portant new opening for the work will
l>a "A at m
of the poor. Hundreds Of women are so
engaged in England, and some of our
large cities are beginning to initiate the
system.
Next to her natural aptitude for the
work, the success of nurse depends
most on her being graduated from a
thoroughly equipped and regularly organ
lied school, and Ii Is much better to
wait for an opportunity to enter such a
one than to go into an inferior one to
save time.
In New York there are eight first t-class
schools. Bellevue. under the superin-
tendency OF Miss Agnes ;. Brennan; the
New York Charity on Blaokwell's Island,
under Miss Louise Darche; the New York
on West 10Th street. under Miss Sutcliff;
the Post Graduate, under Mrs VanIandt;
the Mount Sinai, under Miss Mary Leary !;
st. Luke's, under Miss Cottle, and the
Presbyterian, under Miss Anna G. Max
we'll 1t Is likely that there will soon be
another in connection with Roosevelt
Hospital.
The number Of pupils enrolled in these
schools varies, rs only a limited number
can be received Hundreds Of applicants
are refused, and there Is always long
waiting list of eligibles.
The qualifications of a candidate must
be about the same In every school, and
many things have to be considered that
would not be of so much consequence In
another profession. A nurse must have
not only n sound mind, but sound body,
or else she will never bo able to endure
the physical strain that nursing entails.
She must not have dyspepsia, nervous
headaches, catarrh or such personal de-
fects a. cross eyes slight deafness, or bad
teeth, for though beauty Is not essential 1t
Is absolutely necessary that the nurse
should be pleasant to look mt. A moderate
education is required, ms she will be called
upon to deal with percentages as applied
TO solutions, and fractional doses, TO take
off hand orders from doctors and write
them neatly and legibly, to read aloud
agrseably. and to entertain convalescent
patients The mors cultured and refined
she Is tho better, and other things being
equal such women are always given the
preference. In the German training school
a thorough knowledge Of German Is re-
quired, as the hospital Is little German
orders are in German. In most Of the
schools the applicant must have attained
| a certain age and in all she must not be
more than 3D. In tho Bellevue school 25
Is the age preferred. In 81 Luke's the
| age OF % as the lowest limit, IL rigidly
| adhered to. I'm the New York Charity IL
| is 81. The tendency is Co lower the age,
and in several schools students are ad-
nittcd as young as 90 Before that age
they would scarcely be strong enough
| physically.
In all cases pupils are admitted first on
| probation, which usually lasts one month.
| During that time the superintendent has
nm opportunity To Judge personally OF
| the would-be nurses ability, ana the
| question of dismissing her or allowing
| her TO remain Is at his discretion.
The course Of training for the fortunate
| ones who survive the various sitting pro-
| ccsses Is more comprehensive than most
people would suppose. but differs entirely
| from doctors education. 10 includes
not only practical but theoretical work,