New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-18
SCARCITY OF NURSES
Hospitals Have Trouble in Re.
cruiting Training Glasses.
MAY CHANGE REQUIREMENTS
Bellevue superintendent Says
Increase in Applicants Means
a Decrease in Expenses.

In view OF the difficulty experienced in
fnding enough applicants for training as
nurses in many hospitals, various possible
remedies have been suggested. One of
these recently proposed has aroused great
deal of discussion
The proposal Is TO lower the bars, as 1t
we're, and gain recruits by doing away
with the educational requirement Of at
least one year in high school or Its equiva-
lent before entering the training school.
Miss Clara d Moves. who. as superin-
tendent Of the Training School for Nurses
of Bellevue and Allied Hospitals. Is in
poaitton to understand the ins and outs OF
the whole trouble. had this to say:
There is difficulty in getting enough APP
plicants. but there is nothing new In that.
7 can't remember time when we ever
hid have enough, % don't hold the opinion
OF some persons who think that the educa-
tional standard required has made the trou-
BILE. don't believe that has had anything
at all to do with it. At present. even with
this requirement, rarely have an ideal
candidate
eve have 10 make bricks without straw
right along. II we had sufficient choice
we should refuse many OF those we DO
admit. As for the people who are opposed
30 the entrance requirements of the Boaru
OF Regents, ! do not believe they are really
opposed TO high standards, but they are
hospital men. who must necessarily look at
tho question from a more or less CONNER
'cial point OF view. They have TO consider
Its economic aspect.
Dearth Of Applicants Costly.
Miss Moves then explained how enough
applicants meant a cheap nursing service
for the hospital. while dearth Of pupil
nurses necessitated the employment OF
graduates and consequent increase III
running expenses.
"a great many women apply 10 US now,
said Miss Moves, "who have had only
grammar school education and left schooi
ut fourteen or fifteen. Since then they have
rpept their time in a shop, perhaps. or In
some other kind of work not in the least
calculated TO develop them along the lines
necessary for successful nursing. Before
the Board of Regents attempted 10 dictate
entrance qualifications for the training
schools the decision of admitting or refus-
ing such candidates was left wholly TO the
Individual superintendent
The superintendent may have had very
high standards and correct ideals. and yet,
with the economic pressure and the need
rule 10 define the necessary qualifications
on the other. she may have been frequently
forced TO admit persons not UP to the
standard. The result of this condition Is
that all over the country there is large
number Of graduates from training schools
Win are not I'D to the standard by any
manner of means"
Not only does Miss Moves feel that this
suggested lowering Of entrance require
roents would be most unwise. but she does
not believe ii would produce the desired
effect of causing an increased supply of
prospective nurses.
by the maintenance of high standards.
she says, I'VE make our schools more at
tractive TO a high class of women AS
matter Of fact, the dearth of pupils APP
pears to be greater In the schools Ut low
standards. Almost the only schools that
sppear to have no difficulty in getting
enough students are the schools having
stricter requirements. II seems to me
that the adoption OF lower standards is
most shortsighted policy for any hospital
because by this lowering they would de-
feat the very object for which they exist
that IS. TO get a high grade OF nursing for
1.-The patients In the wards. the sick poor.
ITO my mind the whole problem OF
nursing IL In a very chaotic condition any
how. and 1t is time we should make a
careful study OF the entire situation.
doctors are complaining that they find
az hard 10 get nurses to take their private
eases. This is an interesting phase Of the
oroh,em. A nurse would frequently rather
take a lower salary in public health work
,han do private nursing in the patients
home. One advantage Is the regularity In
hours that can be had in institutional and
puhlic work. Then, too the added indie
pendence attracts. You see, In patients
home the status OF the nurse is often un-
icertain. She is neither fish, flesh nor fowl
1t is a lonely sort Of life.
'"The desire to get out and do broader
work IS part of the spirit of the age, that
spirit OF unrest that is manifestng itself IN
all professions"
Would Not Affect Salaries.
Miss Moves was asked what effect. II any
,the proposed lowering OF standard would
have upon the salaries OF graduate hurSes
doing private work.
''I do not think such change would al
feet the salaries of nurses at ALL" she said.
or have found 1t is the higher type Of wom-
an. the one who can easily meet the pres
ent requirements who takes scientific
and q humane interest in her work and is
not so influenced by the money to be
gained as the uneducated. less cultivated
woman. who perhaps turns to nursing
merely as q means OF livelihood and who
/ viii endeavor to make her profession as
+ financially profitable as she can.
"I believe II more women knew what a
wide field Of public work IL open TO nurses
there would not exist SO great d scarcity
OF applicants Nursing TO the public at
large generally suggests merely private
nursing, but private nursing is actually
only a small part OF the work waiting 10
be done. There is an increasing demand
for school nurses, VISITING nurses, MIX
stdtion nurses and 20 forth.
Here at Bellevue ought to have
plenty OF applicants. The training school
has splendid housing facilities, fine
equipment for teaching and carefully
selected corps Of instructors. This school
offers an exceptional opportunity for
preparation for nursing. particularly for
line social service and public health work
] have mentioned. This is true because II
IS public hospital and offers such large
field Cor investigation. besides tending to
patients. The wide variety of cases pass
Ing through the hands Of the nursing force
here offers a rare opportunity for the de-
veopment OF the pupils powers Of OBJ
servation.
This IL a fact so well recognized that
a great many graduate nurses from smaller
hospitals come TO Bellevue for post -gradu-
| ate work. The enormous number Of
| patients rakes Il possible for the nurse
10 specialize on any one kind OF nursing
| she may desire.
Large numbers Of graduate nurses come
4xA. oil thA rlA IL, -