The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-06

The following is paper prepared
and read recently before conferences
of charity workers by Miss Grace N.
Robinson, the visiting nurse of the
Fargo Associated Charities:
Al graduated nurse calls in the home
giving the care to the sick patient
necessary for the relief of suffering
and comfort of the sick one, thus
demonstrating to the family the easiest
and best way of handling and caring
for the member of the family who is
i'll. In her visitation from house to
house. the nurse sees much that can
be righted for better sanitation and
protection of peoples health in the
community. The Importance of set
ting matters straight grows upon her
and she cannot hold her peace. Les
Suns are usually side issues; they may
b TIE principal object of visit and
do the most permanent good, but
RALLY they are not the primary cause
of the call of a visiting nurse. ALI
knowledge which shall tend to better
people physically and so improve mind
and morals as well, is surely nurses
province, but it must be conveyed in
simple form and easily understood.
Her visits win her way to their hearts,
she can usually find a way to their
heads as well and manage to give
many lessons in personal and house
hold hygiene. In all teaching the
nurse must rely largely upon the con-
fidence she has inspired in order that
the people may take her word upon
trust and good faith. She cannot al
ways make plain the fundamental
truths underlying her word. She must
sometimes assert, do as I say, for
know best" impressing upon her peo-
pie the line of obedience as the only
safe one for them to follow.
A nurse deals with facts, very stub
born ones, and in a comparison of diff
ferent members OF the human race as
regards intellectual capacity, we find
marvellous inequalities. / quote from
a paper written by DIR. Ringer in The
American Journal of Nursing:
THE physician is, in the very ma
ture of things the one to take the
lead in the work of investigation and
research. tending to the betterment of
public health, to the prevention of ILL
ness, and the protection of healthy in
dividuals from existing diseases. While
the physician gives directions both as
prevention and curative measures,
the trained nurse is the one who car
ries out instructions. She it is that
has to go to endless pains and trouble
to see that disinfection Is thorough,
quarantine is efficient, isolation abso
Lutte. She it is that in addition to the
care an attention given to her patient,
must see that his family carries out
general direction for its protection and
for that Of those with whom they may
come in contact. That the trained
nurse does this, and does 1t WELL none
can doubt who have been so fortunate
from the standpoint. of the physician
or so unfortunate from the standpoint
of the patient and family as to have
frequent opportunity to see and study
her work
"The work of physician and nurse
is always cooperative. If their rela-
tions cannot be such from start to
finish, let it never be established. The
trained nurse could never have existed
had 1t not been for the physician, but
having once come in to the sphere of
his professional life she has assumed
such a position, has filled such a void,
and comprehends such usefulness, that
now the physician cannot practice his
calling to the best of his ability with
full justice to his patients and himself
without trained nurse.
This position carries with it one OF
responsibility. Does the laity fully un-
derstand that the details upon the ex-
ecution of which their health and that
of their loved ones depend, are, in most
cases the work of the trained nurse?
THE trained nurse has a twofoId
duty and responsibility. First a duty
and responsibility for her patient. and
second. a duty and responsibility for
the community. She plays a twofold
role, that Of ministering to the needs
of the sick man. and that of educator
to his family and neighbor. Does she
realize that nine times out of ten she
Is the one responsible for the spread