Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-09
Trained Nurses.


OMAHA, March $40 the Editor Of
The Bee: While agreeing with the senu-
ments expressed by Miss Dorsey regard
ing the raising OF the nursing standard,
I yet consider the charges OF careless
and insufficient training" as entirely too
sweeping. Belonging to one Omaha hos
pitsl can answer for my own corner"
Omaha is yet in its infancy N regard
to training schools and trained nurses.
1t is experiencing the same conditions al
ready experienced, and overcome, by the
older cities, and IL IL scarcely fair to
expect full fiedged perfection from so
comparatively young town. 1t. as well
as others, must have its transition stage,
which, judging from Appearances, 1t IL
rapidly passing through.
In the past anyone posing as q nurse,
and with the most superficial knowledge
OF a few Of the necessary qualifications,
could easily ind employment Her edu-
cation and training were not inquired
into by either physicians or patients;
she was not asked from what school she
had graduated, or II she had graduated at
all; her former status ws not considered;
but that condition is rapidly passing; In
deed think II has already passed. The
hospitals, physicians and people of Omaha
are demanding better article and think
receiving It. .... ....,...
Very shortly after coming to Omaha 1
discovered that the majority of young
women applying for admission into the
training schools were without most, IL not
all. the qualifications which had been
taught to consider necessary in order to
successfully take up the work, and re-
solved to do what little I could toward
raising the standard at least In this
school Il am speaking OF my own ex-
periences; of the other hospitals l know
nothing) and refused to admit rs a pro-
bationer anyone who had not at least a
high school diploma. 1 thought that by
giving the profession, medical and sur
gical, a better article, they would soon
refuse to employ any other, as what ply
stefan having had a good nurse would
ever be satisfied with a poor one7
In this hospital, at present. and prob
given to the sick room" technique, as
to that OF the operating room" The
nurses are taught the necessity Of ac-
curate observation and intelligent descrip-
ton; they study materia medica and
know for what the different drugs are
given. and for what effects they have
to watch; they are taught how to battle
and handle all kinds of patients; how to
make bed and how to change It with
least disturbance to its occupant They
are also taught the value. of a cheerful
face, soft voice and a quiet footfall
they are instructed in the laws of n.y.
giene; they are given a course in massage
and are taught how to give the different
exercises used in the treatment of loco
motor ataxia and heart lessons They
also have practical training in obstetrics,
and lectures from one of the leadiag OBJ
stetricians. They are taught to appre-
ciate the danger of the careless handling
of drugs, on which subject, in my esti-
nation, too much cannot be said They
are also taught not only what food to
give their patients, but how to prepare
and serve It. In other words, they have
q three months course in practical diet
etics, they prepare everything their pa-
TENTS eat, the diets in diabetes and
Brlght's disease, for the typhoid and the
convalescent.
1 could mention good many more Of
the little things" which go to make up
the successful nurse and with all Of
which they are made familiar. but believe
have enumerated enough.
heartily agree with Miss dorsey
Nursing is an art" and like all arts
some are more specially gifted than 9TH
ers. The really successful nurse is she
who brings to her work, in addition to
a thorough training, an intelligent APP
probation OF her responsibility. and an
honest love for her work, to such a one
no detail is too trivial"
JESSIE L. GRAHAM,
Head Nurse Presbyterian Hospital