The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-16

boesinees. IL she did not insist upon risiu
discipline and require it's strict observance,
the first requisites Of the trained nurse.
There Is another charge rdinaril
hurled at the superintendent OF a nurses
training school by some Of her flock. she
is invariably supposed to be e}u rnsS1
10 discriminate against them.
THE theory finds support In the fact
that many Of the prettiest and most ettrao-
tive students are dropped. The real reason
for the situation is q simple one, .oosa,,,v
vain or frivolous. She has much moro
temptation to be both than her palmer
sister. She excites admiration and enjoys H.
The pretty girl will firt and behave
because she has infinitely more ogportu-
nifty. 7 don't condemn her for nrtlng'
I merely insist that flirting between nurses
and doctors will not do. .
The nurse who goes in for that sort OF
thing is not 70 he relied upon for serious
attention TO work and responsibility, She
may be a very nice girl. She is not. a desir-
able undergraduate nurse. She Is dropped.
The action has nothing to do with pre-
judice or feeling. 1t is merely a recognition
OF a definite fact.
"A good looking nurse II she Ia oompe-
tent has a distinct advantage, She wins a
patients liking and confidence easily. IL
seems a pity any girl should allow
ought 10 be a help 70 ner carver W Hiahe
the career impossible.
But rye wandered away from the ques-
ton of admission to the school. We study
and compare the lists which the applicants
nave filled out. Many Of them are thrown
aside at first glance. Others are consioered,
Finally those which seem most favorable
are chosen and the applicants belonging TO
them are notified. II the girls live In the
city or near here We ask for q personal
interview. II not, We have 10 take them
on the strength OF their Recommendations
We require three good references from
each girl.
we paw the students enough to cover
the cost OF uniforms, books and all that the
hospital requires them to have. We also
give board, washing and room For her
car fares and other small personal expenses
she must furnish the money.
aThe expense to her during the two years
and a half need not be more than a small
sum particularly II she comes well supplied
with underwear and has a good street
dress. We nave many girls from wealthy
families and we have many very poor girls,
They are equals here, a as one Is
more clever and earnest than the other.
Some hospitals adhere 10 the old system
OF furnishing the uniforms, books, &C,
and paying the girl no money; but our
method is the usual one.
Almost all of the New York hospitals
train nurses now. All OF the reputable
hospitals train them well: but there are
innumerable private hospitals here y
elsewhere In which nurses receive made
Quate training.
Then, too, every ha'penny hospital
throughout the country trains nurses and
gives them credentials. IL is a disgrace.
A nurse who studies three months In a
third class sohool is the equal in law Of
our nurse, who has q rigid tw~o-years-and-
a-half course under the most favorable
circumstances.
Never a week passes that ] do not re-
ceive messages from physicians asking
about nurses who have pretended to be
graduates Of this institution and have
proved ~shsmefully incompetent. Ordi-
narly, the nurse has never spent a day
here. Occasionally she has begun a course
here, but has been discharged for just cause.
such iInpositions are unfair TO the rep
utable members Of our profession and
unfair to the public. Nothing will stop
them but registration.
Nurses should he obliged TO register
as doctors are. Then q standard would
be set and fraud punishable by law.
in its own interest, the public should
pass such a law. An ignorant nurse can
do as much harm as an ignorant doctor,
and can defeat the Efforts OF a clever doctor.
The demand for nurses increases at q
tremendous rate. Every one mas 70 nave
a trained nurse now. Doctors VIII not
work without them, From all over the
country there Is a call for them. Every
little town has TO have them;
Il always advise our girls who come
from small towns to go back there. They
will find a field for their work, under good
social and family conditions, and live whole
somely as well as usefully,
but many girls insist upon staying
in New York. They like the excitement
OF life here. New York If hllng up with
trained nurses. but the country isn't any
where near full.
THE profession isn't even beginning
to be overcrowded II nurses will go where
there is call for them. Even here In New
York good nurses are never ldIe' IL Is
find work. do not nave enough nurses
20 fill my calls"
But how can every one afford to hire a
trained nurse!'
Everybody can't, but almost every one
has a trained nurse, Just the same. very
few people understand how much charity
work the nurses do
Il do not know Q successful trained nurse
who does not do a certain amount OF
charity work each year. II she does not
give her services outright In needy cases
She NAV lower her rates.
1T Is a common thing for a doctor to
say to a nurse; Il have a bad case. The
people cant afford TO pay me or pay a
nurse. but I've got 10 have a nurse; WI
YOU 20? If she is the right sort OF nurse
and the thing is a possibility, she goes.
-Only last week a doctor ~telephoned me
from one Of me worst slums Of the town.
He said he had a sick woman and BABY
there. and unless he had a nurse Tor them
he couldn't pull them through.
II you don't send me n nurse the
woman will be- dead tomorrow, he said.
But its n wretched place, ! protested.
Yes, I know it's hard he admitted,
but tell the nurse It's life and death.
-One OF the best nurses on our list hap
pened TO I've free and came In then. ! put
the case before her. She went down 70
that foul tenement She's there yet.
THE woman and baby are alive. The
nurse and doctor are fighting every Inch,
and winning.
Nurses and doctors may charge big
bills up TO those who can pay, but they do
a lot Of work no one knows anything about.
Nursing Is a great profession. re-
peat, there Ia still plenty Of room In Il; but
successful nursing requires much greater
ability to-day than Il did a few years ago.
The girl who isn't exceedingly in earnest
and re ady to face a vast amount OF work
should look up another profession