The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-07
OBJECTION
ID NURSES
Ground for Widespread Pre-
JUDGE Against Them.
TRAINING Is AT FAULT
Strenuous 0ecipIine Is the
Cause of 1t.
TRAINING IS AT FAULT

I professions among women of today. but
/ few people who admire the quiet. cap
able woman in immaculate uniform who
+ moves about so noiseless in the hospital
ward or private sick room realize the
difficult, tedious and often dangerous
ordeal Of hospital training. or take into
( consideration the many who emerge from
( it with shattered nerves and health ire
parably impaired.
/ In spite OF her undeniable knowledge
+ and capability in her chosen profession.
+ there exists a widespread prejudice
against the trained nurse. Many OBJ
T ject 10 employing her on account Of the
/ expense, alleging that just as good service
can De obtained from a well-traned con-
valescent's mad who can De engaged az
one-thrd the weekly salary that must be
paid 10 a trained nurse. or even from the
nurses supplied BY such institutions as
the Young Woman's Christian Associ-
alton, women whose aptitude for the
care Of the sick comes from practical
experience rather than theoretical train
ing.
This is partly the fault OF the train
This Is partly the fault OF the training.
The hospital schools for nurses are free,
the only payment for tuition being the
services Of the students. This robs the
pupil OF the right 10 insist that she re-
ceive an ailsround practical education IL
all branches OF nursing or that she be
allowed time for study and experiment
A woman may enter the training school
with the rn intention OF Iearnig all
there is TO be learned about surgical nurs-
ing. the best-paid branch Of the profess
sion and remain there her full three years
with out ever seeing the inside OF the sur
gical ward. Or she may use every effort
to acquire general knowledge OF all
branches Of nursing and be restricted 10
one ward for her full term OF service. o.
purely theoretical training she has no
lack. but even under the most favorable
conditions she has little time opportunity
for the real work OF nursing the sick.
\ candiadt for admission TO the train,
ing school OF a hospital has first to face
III trials OF a '-probationer-" For a
period Of from four weeks 10 three
months. according 20 her ability or the
caprice OF the superintendent Of nurses,
she Is on proba ton Her position and du
ties during this time are not unl---e those
Of a flag in an English public school.
All the hardest and most mental tasks
fan to the lot OF the probationer, and the
little she learnes must be from intuition
or observation. She IS not prosecuted
as a freshman in a college would be. bur
is simply trated like q servant and ignored
by all the nurses. So marked is the atti-
tude OF every one towards the helpless
and humble probstioner that the very
children in the bales ward refuse TO obey
y -sr in, fr-=
to the lady with the cap.
The probationen must be ready for duty
at seven o'clock in the morning. having
been allowed one hour for dressing and
breakfast. Her first task is to cont and
sort the soiled clothes from the ward 20
which she has been assigned. This is done
in a small sitting lavatory. with the re-
suit that the probationer sometimes ends
her hospital career in the isolated weird
before she has a chance to receive her
cap.
After getting the clothes disposed Of as
quickly as may be. the prohationer IS
sent to the diet kitchen 10 bring in reak-
fast for the patients in her ward. After
breakfast it is her business 10 clear away
the trays Then she must put in order
the writing table Of the head nurse where
all the records Of the ward are kept Pens,
ink-weIl and everything on the desk that
is scrubable including the desk itself.
must De scrubbed every morning with
some modern substitute for the oId-fso4-
toned soap and sand and while she Is
in the scrubbing business all the instru-
ments used in the ward. and everything
in the Iavatory Then she 6usts the beds
and the medicine closets. and helps &c
straighten up the beds for the physicians
round at ten o'clock II the ward is fsll
she may when her busting ard securing
are finished. be allowed to help the uur-
ses take the temperature and respiration
OF the PATIENTS BY way OF gaining prac-
teal experience IN nursing
After thirty minutes for her MONDAY
dinner Their IS more cleaning for her Jc
do Jsually enough 10 keep her fuliy
occupied until IL Is time for hsr 70 sweep
the crurups out OF the bed. fold and Il
E side the counterpaass and generally 70
prepare the ward for the night. Al this
me she has another chance. for the
tired patients must have their schlng
backs rubbed with alcohol and she Is
asusIiv directed 70 dc that
After the number q weeks or months
10Y the asa "a tA44- -
10 decide wheter the candidate may O.
nay net be admitted 10 the training
school the probat5orer, Z the decision b.
'avorabie. receives her cap and is admit
led 10 The classes she has acquired
knowledge Il scrUbhing dish
washing and general cleaning. but q ser
ice 10 Be rendered 70 the SEX she has
earned almost nothing one y the rules
s nat she must never ask a senior nurs,
low 70 do anything II she IS givsa
re order thar Is 20 her uuintsilig,ole. size
-ust guess Al Il ard Go TIE best she can
% obey = Il haupps1s 70 concern SOM
-a-vcs % b. rendered 20 patient n
'atient may sutrer through the tEaorauss
Z the novice regarding the proper use
Z some unfamiliar hospital appliance
-u1 what = that 20 the preservation o.
titaI sstqusste7
With her promotion 70 the rank C
unior nurse Re probstiors- must PR
bass SCI = text onks st = nurses
Instruments. consisting q SCISSORS.
g scissors and fa-ccps T. handling r.
ecr-d articles. three dresses, enc 6a-en
rrous and re requisite number = cap 6
I'd collars. ali from TIE h5s-itsi stc-sl Z
I'd AZ fln re-ag priceS Al the garments 4
-ut Be made By 67ssSmsksr approved 2
" the superintendent ot nurses. and. O. =
curse, according &c unlfcrz, cosa - lie !