The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-02
TACT IN NURSING
GOOD AS MEDICINE
Bored Expression May Injure
Sensitive Patient
ALL HELP FROM FRIENDS
Should Be OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
and Strong Lights Should BE
Barred and Gossip Should
Be Forbidden.
ALL HELP FROM FRIENDS

From the Boston Herald.
It is a great art to be a good sick
nurse It is surprising how individual
ity comes out in the sick room. The
patients individuality shows itself by
the patient either being gentle and pa
tient or irritable and. unreasonable.
The individuality of the nurse will be
expressed in the way she meets these
developments of the patient.
The strain on the part of the nurse
to hold herself in check. to subduv iier
own individuality and adapt herself
to the temperament, moods and whims
of the patient is excessive. This men
: tai strain is what~wears out the train
ed nurse, because it is ceaseless. She
goes from one case to another, and Il
is always the same thing, with vari-
| atoms.
But you home nurses may, fortunate
| ly only have an illness in the fami'y
| once in a long time, so that you DO
not have this endless strain. When it
does come, take it quietly and call into
use all your self-reserye, for you may
need it.
A very i'll person, especially if delir
| ious, may take temporary dislike to
some members of the family, and the
| queer part of it is, that it is generally
| the patients favorite when well. You
| will have to use tact and not let n
| thing of this kind ruffle you. Remem-
| her. 1t is the disease and not the real
| feelings of the patient.
There may be a hundred times day
that you will feel like resenting some
thing said or implied, but say nothing
| and let it CO. The more you argue
! with sick person the more set the
| patient becomes.
The high fever is accountable for
much of this righteousness and You
will always bear in mind that the pa
| tient would be distressed If conscious
| of the fact that she is behaving unreal
sonably and giving unnecessary WORK.
and unhappiness.
A delirious patient may say some
| thing that will arouse your righteous
wrath and your first instinct is to an
| swer baclx!' But hold onto yourself and
| say nothing.
! Be firm in giving the regular treat
ment at the regular times. The pa
| tient may object, then blame you after
ward for not having done all things
needed. BY coaxing and using tact
| you can have your way about 1t, but
| you cannot if you go about 1t in
brusaue way that will antagonize the
| patient.
| In trifles humor the patient, but in
| things of vital Importance try quietly
! to gain your point. 9Never use force
with an i'll person. persuasion answers
| much better.
| Never look tired or bored in the sick
| room; it will annoy ana distress the
| patient.
! When you take your rest don't lilo
across the foot of the patients bed or
! even on the sofa in the room. IT you
| can get any one else to sit in the room
| with your patient, even neighbor, it
| is much better for you to go to your
own room, remove Your clothing and
have an absolute rest of mind and body.
| Even one hour of this rest is great
help.
| We often hear some one say, after
| there has been an illness in the fam
| lily: "I never had my clothes off for
| weeks"
That seems the acme of good home
nursing to many women. According
to the trained idea it is absurd. 1t
| adds nothing to the comfort of the pa
| tient for you to be uncomfortable and
| unhvgienic for weeks. 1t is so unnec-
| essary from every standpoint. A hos
| pital nurse is trained to take good care
| of herself, otherwise she could not take
| good care Of her patient.
Never eat your meals in the sick
room: it annoys the patent anu Is n2l
| wholesome for you.
| Never complain while in the sick
| room of pain in your back from bend
ling over the bed, though you will be
| sure to have it. Don't sigh and say
| YOU have a headache from staying in
| doors SO much. The patient may feel
| badly, as it Is to give you this extra
| work and responsibility of caring for
| her. Don't add to her distress py re-
| pining or plying yourself.
| IF Won have no member of the family
| TO help you, you sh ould accept the help
| of a neighbor; they are always good
| about helping, too.
| Have a system about it--this help.
| Select the same time each day, say .
| o,cl6ck in the afternoon. There may
| NOT he anything to do just then for
! vour patient and she may take nap.
| Have it arranged that your relief,
| whether one of the family or neigh
| Dor. will bring her sewing or book
| and sit over by the window, not near
| the bed.
| LET the helper get epgrossed in her
own affairs. and the patient may fall
| asleep. Don't let the patient feel that
l the neighbor is going to talk and tell
ali the news and gossip of the neigh
| borbood. OF course, l am. speaking or
| i'll patients, not of convalescents' Tor
| thew will be we'll enough to enjoy
| chat without harm
| DON'T read the newspaper in the sick
room: the rafting of the paper is
| most Objectionable
DON'T sit on the bed; that shaking
is also very Objectionable to the pa
tient.
Have your table with necessary med
icine in a convenient place pue not
49, tba natient will be looking at