The Washington times., 1903-11-29

10
Miss Hoddy Ambitious
aRdS oLdaf

sesses the proper qualifications Of a
nurse
What these necessary qualifications
are. said Miss Lenis. when asked e
enumerate them. 1T is difficult to say.
because there are 50 many Of them 1t
is absolutely necessary, though. that
girl who wants to be nurse should be
observant, neat and tidy in appearance.
pleasant and cheerful in manner, and
must not have to be told things TOO Of
ten. II she has not a cheerful DISPOSE
tion she much cultivate it. for cheerful
ness is absolutely necessary in tho sick
room. And she must have quick per-
cephons. for eften she viii be called
upon to solve problems for herelf. and
she must be able to meet them without
having to run across the hospital to ask
instructions that have been given her
before"
/ After two months as a "probationer,"
If she likes the work and suits Miss
Lenig. the candidate signs three-year
contract, accepting the rules of the
hospital when she does so. The super
intendent has the power to dismiss
nurse II she fails 20 obey orders or IS
impertinent but this does not occur
/ frequently. It is also very rare that
the nurse herself breaks the contract
Ii she stands the first two months
and likes It she is apt to continue
throughout the three years. These two
months are always the hardest Of the
whole course and the candidate who
pulls through them in safety gener-
ally goes on 10 graduation without
trouble
What She Must Learn.
When a nurse signs the contract she
Is put on the regular roll and is given
her uniform. These uniforms are pro-
vided by the Ladies' Auxiliary Board
of the Emergency. Of which Mrs. W.
NJ. Postlethwaite is president. They are
given their board and room and wash
ing and are allowed $ a month for
pocket money. with the signing Of tEe
contract they begin to learn bedside
work and attend lectures on subjects
with which they are required to be
familiar before they can pass their
examinations for graduation. Lectures
on the following subjects are given
by Washington physicians: Anat-
omy physiology, hygiene. materia
medica, bacteriology, ethics. prac-
teal nursing. contagious diseases
obstetrics. foods. and hospital construc-
ton, surgery, nervous diseases, invalid
cookery, gynecology. the eye, throat,
and chest. chfdren's diseases. urinary
analysis. dermatology. surgical injury,
and diseases. practical nursing, pAar-
macy, and massage.
These lectures are continued though
out the entire course. When they b.
gin bedside work the pupils are taught
to give baths. receiving instruction in
bathing patients in bed. At The Elmer
gency every patient is bathed daily, and
as there are no convalescents kept
there. they are all bathed in bed. Not
until they are wei into the course
however. are they allowed to battle
|, typhoid cases. When the time comes
lDf BIduudLlpllr reg uidi tblAliittAieN
E exercises are held and the successful
ones are given their diplomas. As q
rule they take rest after graduation,
and then take up private nursing.
their three years in the hospital max
0 ing them anxious 10 do away with hos
e pital work for a while. Then it is that
y they reap good pecuniary reward fo'
D their long and arduous course of train
ing. twenty-five dollars week viii
y room and board is the minimum
( amount paved a trained nurse Tor pri
( vate work
y At present there are thirteen nurses
[ at the Emergency, including the super
D intendent, Miss Lenis. Miss Anderson
the head nurse, is Il graduate of tbs
Emergency and has held hor present
position about three months. Mis-:
Rogers. who is graduace OF tie Friends
Asylum. at Frankfort. Pa, i' the oper
ating nurse, having acted in that ca
pacity at the Emergency for three years