Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-27
WORK OF TRAINED NURSES.
Experiences in a Hospital Described
bv 4 Dickinson Girl,

0AxoAAVAVoe III 0VepAt0A O0sVAAVVV
by . Dickinson Girl.
Many young women in this county
are interested in the work Of trained
nurses. Miss E. Mae Hart Of Buckeye
who has spent sometime as nurse in
one Of Chicago's leading hospitals has
written for the REFLECTOR the follow
ing description Of the work and ex-
periences Of nurses:
Vigorous health-physical, mental
and morals the initial and basal
requisite Of a nurse. In addition to
this she should be possessed Of ener-
gy, system, cleanliness, tact, alacrity.
She should be refined, sympathetic
yet firm, dignited and self-possessed
at all times yet Of sunny DISPOSE
ton; in short she should be thorough
ly womanly in all her ways. Such is
the ideal nurse, approached by many
and realized by few.
The Cook county hospital nurses
are provided pleasant home only a
few steps from their field of labor.
A charming reception room, sit
ting room and a well stocked library
are open to the $50 nurses and their
score of snperiors who constitute this
numerous family. The building is
three stories in heighth, contains 80
or more rooms and is supplied with
all modern conveniences. Through
out the house simplicity and elegance
prevail in the furnishings. The house,
hold affairs are presided over by a
competent matron, but the supreme
authority in domestic as well as in
hospital affairs is the superintendent
of nurses.
Promptly at 6 a. m. a maid servant
passes through the halls on the three
floors ringing vigorously the rising
bell; $40 witnesses general descent
to the dining room in the basement.
This room is long, rectangular al
fair containing eight tables, capable
of seating an average Of 20 persons
each.
Snowy linen, the odor of savory
dishes well prepared and nicely served,
combined with appetites already
whetted to an uncomfortable keenness
by the anticipation of a hard days
work, add not little to the joys Of
meal-time; for from the standpoint Of
appetite these administering angels"
are hopelessly mundane.
Rapid eating is reduced toa fine art
and fifteen or twenty minutes of sys-
tematic though elegant stufling u.s.
ually suilices to wear off the sharp
edge of hunger, although long prac-
tice and natural ability enables some
to accomplish this feat in much
shorter time. After assembling in
the spacious sitting-room, singing
hymn and listening to a portion Of
the Scripture as read by the superin-
tendent, all who care to enter the con-
test run a solemn race with the Lords
prayer. So accustomed are they to
economizing time that the habit be-
trays itself on occasions opportune
and likewise on occasions of a contra
ry nature. Promptly at 1880 begin
the days duties in the ward to which
each has been assigned. Each ward
has head nurse whose duty it is to
direct the nurses in her charge and
look after the general interests Of her
ward. 1t is supposed that ward of
average size, containing from fifty to
sixty beds, will be kept in perfect
running order by three or four nurses.
The mornings work is naturally
harder than the afternoons. Here is
a formidable number of empty beds
to be made and making in hos
pital is an art not to be despised.
When one considers that the corners
Of properly made bed are expected
to resemble those of neatly wrapped
box, and that an average of thirteen
pins must be used to preserve this APP
pearance, he can readily see that
twenty-five or thirty beds means a
busy morning for one nurse.
Strengthening the ward is no small
TASK and keeping it straight taxes the
vigilance of the whole force Of nurses
n each ward. Beds on either side of
he ward should be exactly opposite
each other, the brass knobs at the foot