The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-01-13
REGARDING A VISITING NURSE.


effort to employ visiting nurse for
the town and community a com-
mittee of tive have looked into the
matter aud Informed themselves con-
corning the advantages of having such
q nurse, and the obligations which it
would impose both upon the society
aud upon the community, and the
outcome of such an undertaking in
several towns aud cities where it has
been tested.
In regard to sneh nurses il is found
that all SO employed are graduates
from the best Hospital Training
nurse is expected to do is not all in
the line of nursing the sick. The
spirit of cheer and courage must shine
in her face. She must see that the
homes to which she is called are clean
and healthy, aud help to make them
such. The unframed and inefficient
mother aud housekeeper are shown
right ways and best methods in the
| preparation of foods, as we'll as given
directions how best to care for the
sick. Thus she il a help both to the
patient and to the physician.
She works for all physicians of the
community impartially, but cannot
give more than one or two hours day
to any one patient. A visiting nurse
is furnished without charge to those
unable to pay for her services, while
patients in better circums stances are
expected to pay for each visit in pro-
portion to their ability, aud the
nurses salary.
Such nurse can give treatments in
massage, bat cannot take charge of
auy contagious cases, take night duty
and could not be expected to be on
duty on Sundays.
1t will be seen that the salary of
such person must be sufficient to
render her self-supporting, as her
personal expenses must all be met in
her own name. In addition to her
salary, the supplies needed by her in
such daily visits as she makes, must
be furnished blythe community, either
in kind or in money to purchase the
| same.
This method OF support by the pub
lie. and Lelp freely given to all who
need it among the people, is being
successfully carried out in many plac-
es about us. The word comes from
Princeton, where they have employed
q visiting nurse for eight years says:
ut is splendid work, and where
there is no hospital it plays most
important part in the town" One
physician writes: "We seem unable
now to do without her during her va
! cation" And another writes: 81
think the village nurse has been
'Godsend' to the poor of Princeton
and great aid to the physicians of
this locality-the village nurse has
also been great factor in the educa-
ton of the people both rich and poor
in regard to hygienic measures and
the care or sick patients. 4"
| The fact that in Philadelphia eight
branches of the work are supported
shows that it is not confined to com.
munities without Hospital service.
| The work IN Germantown was un-
dertaken by the Mothers Club, and
the physicians as well as the people
find that much good has been accom-
| plished. Such nurse is looked to
for the furtherance OF morality and
christian influence in any place where
her labors call her,
! Ia Trenton the work was started In
1907, and it is highly spoken of. In
the case of the nurse employed in
Darby, Lansdowne aud adjacent
| towns, they cannot speak too enthusi-
astically of the benefits of the work in
general, and instances of personal ac-
acknowledgement of the good received
are very touching. The salary OF this
nurse is pledged by the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union.
The Committee working for the T.
/ - a. Va bcut u CiTCuldf
letter to each of the physicians in
town, in which certain questions were
asked aud opinions were solicited in
regard to starting the work here. 1t
was thus found that the doctors were
not in entire accord, not all of the
number being ready to give the move
ment full endorsement,
Because of this, and realizing that
the financial obligation might prove
insurmountable unless the whole
community gave it's entire approval
and support, the pro ject has been set
aside for the present, but the T. /. A.
stands ready to take it up again when
the people and the physicians feel
that the community has need for the
services of a visiting nurse.
For the t. /. A. of Lambertyille.