The Washington herald., 1911-09-10
By JULIA CHANDLER MANI.


The trained nurse as an institution in
this country is just about generation
old. The first school for trained nurses
in the United States was started at
Bellevue Hospital, New York, in 1873.
From the first the calling took on the
characteristics of a profession, and IN
a few years it was esta ablished thorough
ly as one.
A young woman expecting to earn her
own living through her personal efforts
confrcnts many problems in the choice
OF a profession. and the ultimate result
depends largely upon the character OF
the girl herself
In addition to her admission to exist
ing professions new and appealing tnes
have been opened TO her alone, protos-
sions that mean to her a grand and
noble mission OF these there is none so
appealing as the care of the sick.
Unfortunately the impression OF train
ed nursing entertained by some young
women in that 1t is just lots of fun
and easy work.
Why yes; l want 10 be trained
NURSE one girl informed me while dis
cussing the possibilities of various pro-
fessions You see it is this way-the
girls wear the dearest, cutest littlI cos
tunes. and just sit around reading and
talking to sick folks, where there are
beautiful flowers and such things all
the time. Then the doctors are always
nice You see when a girl gets tired OF
nursing she just marries some nice doc
tor, and that's the end Of it.
am afraid, if 1 may judge from the
recent letters I have received concern
ing the subject, that there are good
many girls who have a similar concep-
ton of the work Of trained nurse.
Is Serious Business.
1t is a serious mistake for any young
woman who is not entirely in earnest
and industrious to undertake to become
a nurse. With scientific advancement
the course in the training schools has
become more thorough and more difficult,
and the growing demand upon the hos
pitfalls has extended the work there, Hnd,
little sister, you will not find it Just a
place to wear cute costumes and sit
and talk and read to folks where there
are always beautiful flowers and in the
end marry some nice doctor" when you
have become weary of nursing.
Suppose you learn right here and now
what the great and noble work of car
ing for the i'll and suffering means.
The school of training you will find
a part of any high-class hospital, and
the course in any one such cannot be
accomplished in less than three years.
during which years you are doing the
double work of nursing and studying
for classes.
once admitted to the hospital. the
hardest part of your work begins. No
longer do the hospitals require actual
drudgery from beginners, such as scrub
bing which in former years was re-
quired, but just the same many things
that border close upon drudgery have
to be learned.
Plunged Into New Atmosphere.
You have to learn to make a bed
properly, how to dust a room as 1t
should be busted, how TO lift the sick,
how to make bandageS, how 10 arrange
clothing. to give baths and make poul-
tees. You come from an atmosphere
of health and are plunged at once into
one of sickness. much of which is re-
voting. You encounter repugnant sores
and many other repuisTve sfgnts.
You have to spend your mornings with
older nurses in the wards helping here
and there and running errands. In the
afternoon you must study diligently, and
at night you must go into the wards
and feed the helpless patients. You have
TO 90 into rooms where convalescent
pdllchlS al put OlA bSNS ~ N'h AAAoAS
be taught how TO handle those who are
really very sick.
You must go into the operating rooms
and see convalescents handled on the
tables, so that you may know how to
lift and pose them in cases of actual
operations. You see unpleasant sights
and you encounter disagreeable odors.
You have good food and good bed, but
you get almost no time for recreation
or pleasures The work is discourag
ing to any but an exceptionally brave
spirit.
The second year is very little easier
You must rise if You are on day duty
at a. m. and be in your room at 10
at night. You ar urged to get eight
hours sleep. and really this is essential
If you would be in a physical condition |
TO meet your strenuous work.
You must arrange to see your friends |
during the hours that you are of duty, |
and since these are the only hours you |
have in which to repair your clothing, |
you can afford little of it for the for |
nation or continuation of friendships. |
You will be excused from no lectures |
Or classes unless YOU are i'll, and when |
your classes do not demand your time |
nursing does. nor are your patients fire. |
quently private ones.
Little Time for Personalities.
Usually only very i'll people go to a |
hospital, and there is time for little save |
ministering TO their urgent needs and |