New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-13
NURSES MAY SAY "HELLO."
BELLEVUE TRAINING SCHOOL NOV
BOASTS A TELEPHONE.
A CONVENIENCE DENIED UNTIL SCORES -
GRADUATES HAD SET Up AN


OUTSIDE REGISTRY.
The New-York Traning-school for Nurses 81
tached to Bellevue Hospital at last enjoys tho as
tnction OF having telephone communication WV"
the outer world.
And thereby hangs tal.!
1t seems that the telephone has been bone q
contention between the more progressive oooy u
graduate nurses and the managers OF the training
school for months II not for years past.
Two weeks ago the teller hone was put In. ana or.
culars containing the announcement were issued
to the physicians Of the STAFF This action was
complete surprise TO nurses as well as 70 phys''
clans. indeed to every one associated with tho nos
ptal except perhaps, the superintendent OF nuSsss
and the Board OF Managers.
The telephone agitation began back In ~, wnsn
the service for the nurses was introduced into
several Of the large city hospitals. The matter
however, did come to a crisis until January OK
last winter when about fifty Of the graduate
called meeting and wrote out set OK reso-
lutions, in which their reasons for desiring teis-
phone were tersely stated. and which was subse.
Quently signed and sent to the Board OF Managers
reply was received that II would be "impos.
sible' to have a telephone put in the hospital
second meeting then called and petition sent
in asking have the service II not In the hospita
at least in the training school.
WHOLLY "IMPRACTICABLE."
At the third meeting. called on March 10. the
second letter from the Board OF Managers vas
read, and the nurses were Informed that It would
be wholly 'qmpracticable" to establish telephone
service for them In the training school.
The fact that the nurses were each paying x0
per annum for registration fee. which In every
bureau and in every other large hospital In the
city means telephone service. was held TO )usuSy
a considerable feeling OF Indignation at the refusal
to grant their request. and before the March meet.
ing had adjourned Il decided to establish
separate registry outside the hospital with tele.
phone the office and the service OF both phys.
clans and nurses.
The most prominent physicians the STAN et
Bellevue heartily co-operaed in the movement. for
they had long felt the disadvantage OF not being
able to communicate with the nurses Of their own
school except by messenger or telegraph Among
the many well-known doctors whose names appear
on the Advisory Board Of the registry ere
Edward G. Janeway. William 81 Polk. John r.
MCGOWAN and at least dozen others whose names
are known in every hospital in the city.
When Miss Wadley. who Is manager OF the new
registry at her office. No. 80 East Twenty.
secondst she expressed the opinion that the put.
ting in OF the Bellevue telephone had been brought
about by the secession OF the large body OF gradu-
ate nurses from the hospital registry.
sECEDERS WILL STAY OUT.
When asked II the plans Of her bureau would b
| changed by the recent action at the training
school, Miss Wadley replied:
Most decidedly not. Our registry Is estab.
| lshed on a permanent basis We have over sixty
Of the Bellevue graduates on our books and q list
| Of the best physicians In the city who patronise
! us. We are more centrally located than at the
hospital, and nurses have been busy since the
opening Of the bureau.
III the managers had not found It both lmpracti-
cable and impossible TO put In the telephone at
earnest petition, we should not have made the
! break; but once made shall stand by our De.
| cision.
"Out Of the ninety Bellevue graduate nurses In
the city, half our books; and as We have
| scarcely been able to meet the demands for work
that have poured in upon US We see no reason why
I any change should take place.
"Our registration fees are the same as at the
hospital and the convenences far greater both for
nurses and DOCTORS"
LECTURES ARRANGED FOR