The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-10-11
WORK OF TRAINED NURSES.
How Nervous and Insane Patients
Are Cared For.

The nursing Of the nervous and insane Is
not at present so popular branch of the pro-
1esslon as is general nursing. This may be
accounted for by several reasons. one being
that the character OF the work is not proper
ly understood. There is an erroneous idea
that any one especially any trained nurse.
can care for the insane. This is far from
being the case. To intelligently and success
fully minister to the mind diseased requires
special and careful training and the very
highest order of woman. The latter haf Of
TINS century mas seen many changes and re-
forms, and nowhere were such more needed
or their good results more visible than in the
care and treatment of mental diseases. 1t is
almost impossible to realize that until COM
parauvely recently these were treated BIZ.
chains and whips, yet such was the case
until Christianity and science opened m MS
eyes. The mad house;i' the asylum the
hospital" such were the gradual changes
Not fifty years ago Bedlam IN BendonI had
a show day. admission one penny Then
there was no attempt at cure or treatment
and but cruel care" The patients were not
classified; the vicious criminal and the sensi
tive meiancholic were chained side by side,
WHILE as for nursing, no respectable sane
woman was to be found among the attend
ants. True the world was never so wicked
but that some good woman could be found
in every condition of life but as a rule those
in cahrge of the insane were of the very low
est type.
The first training school for nurses Of the
insane was founded by DR.. Edward CowIes
at Mclean hospital Waverley, Mass. and is
the progenitor of all others now existing.
here or abroad. Such give a two years
course of instruction, granting a diploma on
graduation. 1t comprises theoretical course
on general nursing and usually excellent
classes and lectures ON their own specially.
These open to the student the nature of the
disease with which she has to come in daily
contact. make her observe and understand the
principles underlying her work. If she Is an
| intelligent woman the work becomes one Of
absorbing interest to her. 1t is a quest on
whether all specialties, such as nervous DIS
eases, children's diseases, ETC., should not
come in nursing, they do in the medical
education, after and not before. a general
knowledge has been obtained.
Now that many hospitals are adopting the
| three years training course some portion of
the third year might proftably be spent in
the study of nervous patients. In connection
with the two year system, post graduate
course of third year in an insane hospital
would add very much to the value of the
nurse. Much has been done in training
schools for nervous diseases. yet much re-
mains to be accomplished. and these are seri-
Gus and important subjects for consideration.
Another reason for the lack of popularity
Of the work Is the treatment of the nurse. 1t
is strange that those whose business and life
study it is to deal with and bring back to
health the mind which has become diseased
should have so little consideration for the
healthy mind which comes to them for a two
years training. Few insane hospitals have
nurses homes. In many of them the nurses
rooms are directly off the wards, where, on
or off duty, night or day, they are never
really free from their patients. The meal
= times in q general hospital, usually the mer-
riest hours of the twenty-four, are in the
insane hospital one continuous strain, and
! are likewise spent in company of the patients.
Then too particularly IN private asylums,
the nurse is expected to do moro housework
than she would in a general hospital. We
are often warned against encroachtng on the
province of a physician, but no one seems
a1<ious about our encroaching on the prov
ince of housenlaid or scrubWonlan. Many
hospitals are now working on the eight-hour
system many more have the nine, ard 1t
has been repeatedly proved that nurse can
not stand over nine hours work and remain
healthy, mentally and physically yet the
the nurse in the insane hospital is on duty
for from twelve to fourteen hours, some
times without any hours for rest and recrea-
ton. Until those whose business 1t is to see
that these things are remedied the work of
nursing the insane will not become as pop
ular as it should be, nor hold its proper rank
in profession.
A century ago jacob. the leading German
eypert on insanity. recognized the fact that
the insane would not be properly cared for
until cared for by women who served for the
love of God. The present day woman, the
new woman in the true sense OIL the phrase,
did not then exist and the woman of educa-
ton and refinement did not work for money,
but sought the protection OF some religious
order Were Jacob living he would find many
brave disinterested women In training as
nurses for the insane.
There is somewhat to critic,se in the at
titude of the general nurse toward her sister
of the ASYLUM. Is there not lack of that
Christian good fellowship which should in
fiuence all our work? Mightinot little inter
course be of mutual benefit? The patient
tactfulness required in nursing the insane is
often tbe one thing needed in the otherwise
competent general nurse, and, for the prac-
teal side Of the question, aanurse for the in
sane can always command swork and a good
General nursing is beginning to show signs
of overcrowding, but therefis still plenty Of
work in this special field, and, notwithstand-
NAV influence and encourage the true nurse
in her work, it is only human and prudent
that she should wish TO make 1t financial
success as well.