The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1911-04-27
HOME
NURSING :;''
THE HOME. NURSE.

"What is everybody's business is no.
body's business" This Is especially
true in cases OF sickness in the homes
where the nursing, or care Of the pa
tient, devolves upon the members OF
the family. In such cases, where sew
eral try to carry out the PHYSICIANS
orders, 1t often happens that some or
ders are neglected, each member of
the family believing that these things
had been attended to by some other
person.
Whenever there is illness in home
and it does not seem advisable, for
various reasons, to employ a trained
nurse, one person should be selected
to take charge of the patient, and this
person should receive all orders from
the physician and be responsible for
their fulfllment.
The chief requirements for one who
is to take the part of the nurse in a
home are neatness," quietness and an
ability to carry out the physicians
orders exactly.
In her personal appearance, nurse
must be scrupulously clean and neat.
Her hair should be tastefully dressed
and free from ornaments. Her hands
should be clean and we'll cared for. A
roughened hand is very annoying to
the patient. The nails should receive
especial attention and should be filed
rather short. A nurse should not wear
any rings for they are liable to catch
on the clothing or the patients hair
and be annoying. The nurses dress
should be of some washable, cotton
material, soft enough not to rustic
when she walks. White aprons give a
neat and tidy appearance. Her shoes
should not be too heavy, permitting
her to step noiselessly about the room.
During the twenty-four hours some
provisions should be made for suffi-
cient sleep and outdoor exercise for
the nurse. She needs seven or eight
hours sleep and one or two hours for
exercise, besides time in which to
dress, attend to her toilet require
ments and eat her meals without hur-
rying. A nurse who does not have suf-
ficient time for sleep and rest becomes
not only physically tired, but mentally
so exhausted that she is incapable Of
giving proper care to the patient or of
observing symptoms. For the sake of
the patient, be sure that the nurse is
not overworked. She can be relieved
of her duties by some other person.
At such times as she is away from her
patient, written orders for the substi-
tute should be left and she should
make sure that the one left in charge
understands the directions.
The nurse always should speak in a
low, well-modulated voice that can be
understood by the patient without any
effort. She should never speak in
whispers or low tone to third per-
son so the patient can hear the voices
but cannot understand what is being
said. A sick person is very sensitive
and whispering is annoying. The ma
ture of the fitness should not be dis
cussed and nothing but the kindest
things said before the patient. A per-
son who is very Ill is incapable of
carrying on. or even listening to, a
sustained conversation. In such a
case, there should be as little con-
versation as possible in the room. AS
the patient becomes convalescent. he
requires to be entertained. A nurse
who can read or tell light, happy
stories In an entertaining manner Is
invaluable at such times. Gossip or
tales of sadness or unkindness should
not be retailed to any patient. A pa