The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-20
TRAINING WOMEN NURSES
The Methods in Vogue in the Large
Hospital Schools.
No Easy Matter to Go Through the
Coursc-TNvelve Hours Daily Of
Hnrd Practical WOrk-Some Of the
Requircments-The Pleasures Al
lowed the Girls During the Term.

That there has been a radical change for
the better in the care of the sick during
the past few years is evidenced by the
large number of training schools for nurses
that have come into existence in various
parts of the country in connection with the
large, and even smaller, hospitals, both pri-
waite and municipal.
Physicians and surgeons OF the new
school realize to a greater extent the vast
Importance of having their patients cared
Tor by persons of experience. instead OF re-
living almost entirely upon the care be-
slowed upon the sick by members Of the
family or friends who through kindness OF
heart volunteer to assist in caring for the
patient afflicted with disease, or one upon
whom an operation has been or is about
to be performed.
"Thoughtlessness and mistaken Kindness
In the sick room Stay thousands, and the
family and nurses are ofttimes the I'm
known accessories to the deed is the
npinion of a well-known writer On he sub
ject. They fear criticism too much. lheir
mothers and grandmothers never dreamed
of refusing admission to the SICK ROOM IL
would cause talk to begin it. So the VOL
unteer nurse casts responsibility on oh
custom and puts a blind trust IN Provi-
dence and the deed is done No matter
how yisibly it harrows the soul OF
nervous woman to have outsiders about
her there are those who will persist IN
invading the sick room, regardless OF the
condition of the patient or the probability
Cor lack of probability that they may be
of service. II often happens that IT Is the
least useful and most tactless women III
the community who are most active III
their attentions to the afflicted Sucn VS.
itors seriously handicap the physicians and
nurses. 1t is astonishing to witness the
reckles sness of most families in regard to
this phase of the care OF the SICK
II is then that the carefully trained pro-
fessional nurse is found to be the only
available way out Of the dilemma, the
woman who by patient study and constant
application to duty as mapped out IN the
training schools that can with quiet Dig
nity carry out the directions of the at
tending physician to the letter
II takes very nearly as long for woman
to complete a proper course for nursing as
il does for the medical man to attain the
knowledge requisite for properly treating
his first case after graduating from college.
And in going through the course she has
many hard knocks. 1t must not be under
stood for a moment that the profession is
scouired without great many hard knocks
and a large amount of very hard work.
For woman with romantic turn oil
mind who imagines that hospital nursing
is a fad and that 1t would be just 100
lovely TO become trained nurse, LOT
while in a hospital she might be fortunate
enough to nurse some charming patient
back into health and strength, that they
will fall desperately in love with each
other. the affection growing more and more
daily. as ratient and nurse see more Of
each other the training school is no place.
Cases of this kind are very few and very
far between. And the exception proves the
rule.
What. then. is the course TO be pursued
for a girl who is really DESTROYS OF taxing
I'D the profession with any hope of ulti-
mate success. and what may she expect 10
meet before being handed her diploma OF
graduation
Qualifications for n Nurse.
In the first place, a girl to become
trained nurse must be of good moral char
acter. She must be gentle, kind and
Incident. If she has temper she must
have it absolutely under control. for if this
cannot be done the sick room is not mt
place for its exhibition. She must be will
ing at all times TO submit to the orders
of those in authority. whether she sees the
reason for the order or not And above
all things she must be scrupulously care
full to carry on; TO the letter any orders
that may be transmitted to her by the
physician or the nurse in immediate charge
CT the patient.
Next in Importance is extreme care with
the personal appearance. nurse should
Always be neatly attired and always
scrupulousiy clean. Finger nails should be
closely trimmed and the hands must be
kept smooth and clean at all times. The
costume worn must be spotless. Each wo-
men should learn to control her voice and
never speak in loud tone when in the
presence of or near sick person. While
all of these things will be indelibly
stamped on the would-be nurse. ii would
be Just as well to know of them before
entering the training school, She will at
least know then that she is not being
fooled when she commences the real hard
work incident to her training. All this is
written on the assumption that the girl
has secured admission to a training school
Once she is in. her real hard work be-
gins. She is received only on probation
for two months in most OF the large In
situations and in this way both she and
of her fitness and liking for the work that
she has chosen for life's profession.
Once she has entered, she is put to work
in a ward under the direction Of a gradu-
ate nurse who gives her every direction as
to what she is expected to do and on no
account is she to take the slightest respon-
sibility on herself. She will probably be
taught how TO make a bed properly, and
this may be her first work. II she is put
rlr ;e 81 ik.
beck and call of every patient in the ward.
but she is expected to consult the nurse
in charge before acceding to the slightest
request OF the patient. At meal times she
will hand to each patient on tray such
food as has been prepared and those Ia
tients WHO are unable to feed themselves
she will assist. At the conclusion of the
meal II is her duty TO return the trays TO
the mess rooms and assist in washing and
wiping the dishes and returning them TO
their proper places. Then perhaps she
will have some medicines to administer,
but these are always measured by the
nurse in charge in order that they may be
absolutely in accordance with the orders
Of the physician. If there are any exter-
nal applications she will doubtless be d.
rected TO attend to them. Then later
should any OF the convalescents be allowed
to leave their beds it is her duty to see
that the beds are properly made up and
II necessary an entire set of clean linen
put on.
After she has been at this sort of work
for while another duty is added. She Is
taught how to take the temperature of
the patients. This she is required to do
In ordinary cases twice a day. when first
going on duty and then again when coming
of. OF course In cases OF very serious
nature the physician In charge fixes such
other hours as he desires the temperature
10 be taken and 1t is her duty to carry
this order out to the letter. In connection
with this duty she is taught the Use of a