The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-01-16

" in the oven unfit they are nicely
Drowned.
They're delicious.
slcKRooM
BEHAVIOR.
Every sick person for the time be-
ing is a child. This is the verdict OF
most of those who have been much
in the sickroom, and it is an idea that
always should be kept in mind by the
one who. as visitor or nurse has any,
thing to do with the sick. If it is kept
in mind and acted on. visitor and
nurse cannot go far wrong.
To begin with, the sick person, like
the child, should be helped not to
thing about himself or his own state
of mind. Feeling about feelings and
thinking about thinking" as prorni
nent specialist on nervous disorders
put it. ARE dangerous habits for a
responsible adult and fatal for
child" And, as most sick adults are
not strictly responsible and as they
should be considered as children, any
way, the first duty OF nurse or visitor
to the sickroom is to keep the sick
person from thinking about himself
and so forming a fatal habit
And, after all, however much out
siders can do to help the sick person,
it is the nurse. be she professional, a
friend OF the family who in time of
need has been called on for assistance.
or a member OF the family, who really
has the comfort of the sick person,
both bodily and mentally in her keep
ing.
1t Is her first duty to zee that the
patient is physically clean and COM
Portable; that the ssiclEroom is neat.
well aired, softly lighted and quiet;
that no rafting newspapers, banging
doors, crealking rocking chairs. loud
talk and noisy laughter Jar on un-
steady nevres and make the patient
restless and uneasy; that the food is
well cooked and daintily served; and
that no signs of illness-fnedicine bot
ties and glasses, tray of dishes, or
other paraphernalia of the sickroon--
are in sight. And it is always better,
when q professional nurse Is not en-
gagged, and even If the patient is not
seriously i'll, that one person be made
responsible to the doctor for the care
and comfort of the patient. Reports
from three or four members OF the
family, well meant but irregular at
tention and service from any one who
has a moment to spare, are not only
confusing, but sometimes lead to Sc
rious consequences.
OF equal Importance with tho
physical well being of the sick person
IL his mental comfort. Il Is the nurses
duty TO see that the sick person-who.
remember, really only chiid-is kept
in a wholesome frame of mind-that
he does not indulge In thinking about
thinking and feeling about feel
ings."
Some one has said ( that nurse
should do all her thinking inside her
head, and the nurse who remembers
this has done a great deal TO keep her
patient in satisfactory frame OF
mind She should never carry on a
monologue-as some nurses do-abouf
what she intends to do next. She
should never let the patient hear her
talk of symptoms, wonder whether his
fever is rising, contemplate the pos
sibiliky of his suffering a relapse, or
worry about his appetite. She has to
do all these things, of course, and she
has to report on them to the doctor
but she should do them 50 that the
patient win have no idea that they
are being done. And she should never
whisper mysteriousiy to friends or
relatives of the one who is sick or tip
toe about cautiously, for these actions
suggest to the patient that he is in a
really serious plight, and either
| through worry or self pity he Is likely
TO hinder his own recovery.
The patient. however, looks for in
slant, ever ready sympathy on the
part of his nurse. And, again remem-
| bering that the sick person is only a
| child. the nurse should be always
ready with a sincere am motherly
sort Of sympathy. trying to smooth
out any little difficulties, real or
/ imaginary, and giving encouragement
and comfort But, be she the profess
sionai nurse or the outsider who lends
helping hand In time OF sickness. she
should remember that good taste
prompts her to consider this motheriy
privilege of giving sympathy to her
/ patient, child or man or woman, In a
Inotheriy sort Of way. ended when
health returns.
| However much may depend on the
person who fills the pest of nurse. the
casual visitor can really do a great
deal in helping the sick person TO keep
his mind occupied with pleasant
thoughts instead OF with his own dis
comforts and suffering. In the first
place. she can steadfastly refrain from
| talking about his Illness. from telling
| Of other persons who are Ill, or of the
/ time when she herself had the par
ticular ailment from which the par
| ticular sick person she is visiting is
suffering. More than that, she can
even refuse to listen to the patients