Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-11
REGISTERING NURSES
SUBJECT DISCUSSED AT MEETING
HELD YESTERDAY.
Effort to Raise Standard Of the Pro.
fession-Statementb by DR..
Woodward.

A meeting to which all trained nurses In
the District of Columbia were invited was
held in the Columbian Medical School yes
terday afternoon at o'clock. at the call OF
the Alumni Association OF the Garfield
Memorial Hospital Training School for
Nurses. Miss Nevins. the superintendent
Of nurses at that institution was in the
chair There were about 175 nurses Of the
city in attendance.
The meeting was called for the purpose
of discussing the subject of contemplated
legislation providing for the registering Of
trained nurses and raising the standard Of
the profession in the District. DR.. w. C..
Woodward health officer for the District.
was present and delivered an address to
the nurses. and the matter was quite thor
oughly reviewed by others present.
DR.. Woodward's Views.
In an interview with a reporter for The
Star today DR.. Woodward expressed his
views on the subject of providing regula-
lions for registering trained nurses. Among
other things. he said:
THE increasing demand for trained
nurses. their relatively superior social
standing and the high pay willingly &C.
out training, or whose training has been in
adequate, representing themselves to the
public as trained nurses. The public Is, to
very great extent, unable to detect frauds
OF this character, and the medical profess
sion itself is liable to be imposed upon. In
view of the serious consequences which may
ensue from unskillful nursing a movement
which will protect the public against fraud
OF this character is certainly worthy of sup
port. 1t would appear to be on general
principles almost essential that the
qualifications of trained nurses should be
determined and registered In some official
way as that the qualifications of pharma-
c1sts should be fixed by law and ascertained
by board created for that purpose.
Such legislation has been enacted
for the registration of trained nurses, and
such as Is proposed for this District, diff
fers however in one very important par
ticular from legislation relative to the
practice of pharmacy, dentistry and medi-
cine. No one can act as a pharmacist
dentist or physician unless he has been
registered The proposed registration with
reference to nurses. however, will not pre-
vent any one whomsoever from acting as
nurse; 1t will merely prevent any person
from acting as a registered nurse, or
from protesting to be a registered nurse
unless she is such in fact
Examining Board Necessary.
I'm order to establish this system Of
registration 1t will be necessary to create
an examining board. which can inquire into
the moral qualifications Of would-be regis
tered nurses. and ascertain what their
training has been prior to graduation. If
found qualified with respect to moral char
acter and training. the would-be nurse
ent qualifications. II all these are salts
factory she will be registered as a nurse,
and authorized to use the title registered
nurse No one need apply for registration
unless she desires to assume this title.
Provision will have to be made. Of
course. for the cancellation Of registra-
ton of such nurses as may, after having
been registered. demonstrate themselves
unsuitable persons to be officially designat-
ed as registered nurses. For instance.
nurses who fail morally. those who develop
drug habits, or those who by reason of mis-
conduct in connection with their work show
themselves unfit. Some question necessari-
~ arises with reference to nurses already
In nursing. It will be necessary
either to register these by reason of their
present status. in which case 1t will be
preferable 1t seems to issue a distinct series
OF licenses for them, or it might be posi-
bic to allow them to apply for registration
exactly as nurses. who will hereafter come
to the District may apply for registration
provision must be made for the ex-
change of licenses In the future with such
states as may enact similar laws, and In
order to do this the District standard will
have to be maintained as high as possible
North Carolina. New York, New Jersey and
Virginia have already laws on their statute
books providing for the registration of
nurses. The legislature of Illinois enacted
a similar law. but the governor of the
state vetoed 1t apparently because of mat
tiers that had nothing to do with the gen.
eral principle Of registration
Nurses who are familiar with the gen
eral abuses that have resulted from the
absence of any standard of qualifications
for trained nurses should determine what
the standard shall be and what law the
existing facts Will warrant. Having done
this the public will doubtless support them
In endeavoring to secure the enactment Of
a law looking toward the standardizing of
the qualifications Of registered nurses"