The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1913-04-26
VALUABLE
PAPERS TO
THE NURSES

Two of the most valuable and ssRh-
" iiistEdSeiye papeis OF interest To the
public which were given during the re-
cent nurses convention were those
given by Miss Louise, Patkebusch,
visiting nurse at Grand Forks, on
State Registration for Nurses; and one
on The Value Of Organization, which
was given by Mrs. F. H. Wilder, one
of the leading club women of the city.
Lively discussions followed both of
these papers and Mrs. Wilder was
Obliged to answer many questions
from the nurses. Both questions dis
cussed are of vital interest to the
nurses organization and the papers
follow in part
State Registration for Nurses.
1t being admitted that nursing of
the sick concerns and affects every
class in the community, and that it is
therefore of extreme importance to
the public welfare, that those who
undertake the responsible duties of
sick nursing, should be not only abso-
lutely trustworthy, but technically
proficient. 1t follows that it is, the
duties of the state to provide public
safeguards in this matter. 1t is there
fore necessary that legislatures in
every county should pass an act form
ing a general nursing council, which
should be empowered to deal with all
educational matters affecting nurses,
and to define precise curicula through
which every woman must pass before
she can be certified as graduate
nurse,
1t has become necessary in the COM
plex needs of the community life of
today that the government supervision
would have to be extended to many
different vocations, because their pur-
suit by incompetent persons would be
menace to the public at large. Thus
the state assumes to restrict the right
OF occupations to persons who are able
to pass suitable examinations as to
the fitness of that particular thing
For instance. 1t would be manifestly
wrong to allow an engineer or pilot
to take part in the management of a
vessel which conveyed passengers un-
til his competency had been proven.
AS incompetency involves great loss Of
life. Secondly, justice demands the
protection be also extended the en-
gineer and his skill, which is his cap
| ital, secured by hard effort, struggle
and time to safeguard him from dis
honest competition. Registration or
| license in any particular field means
that the said individual has been found
l
| business for the public.
Before legal restriction was placed
upon the practice of medicine 1t was
| only necessary for a man to call him
| self doctor to practice on the credu-
| lity and ignorance of the public. At
| that time the country was flooded with
quacks of all sorts. What, therefore,
registration has done for the medical
practice, we know too well to dwell
| further upon.
Thirty years ago there were few
training schools in the country. In
hospitals most nursing was done by
orderlies or ignorant women. Some of
them were faithful and did their best,
while others were of the "Sairy Camp
variety. With nurses Of this order
modern surgery would be impossible.
| Trained nurse in this part of the
country is understood to be woman,
any woman, who gives nursing care
| to the sick wears the uniform of white
or stripes. and that may be graduate
with a diploma, an undergraduate, or
one who has never known the myster-
les of a hospital ward. The graduate
nurse holds a diploma which implies
that she has taken course in train
1 ing to the satisfaction of certain
/ hospital. The registered nurse" must
i have had preliminary education re-
1 quired by law before entering the
| training school. She shall have grad
uated from a training school recogniz-
ed by an authority on education of her
state, providing standard nursing. The
/ object of registration for higher edu
1 cation of the nurse that she may be
lprepared to meet the evergrowing de-
mands on this order of service. Fol-
the nursing world can see how great
Il
4 = Tnner