Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-04-14
STATE REGISTRATION FOR \ .l|ij

ed Or unimproved physical handicap.
The nurse Of today looks beyond the
immediate results Of her work, tho
recovery of her patient.
Her work is largely educational,
and not complete until her patient or
family is instructed in matters hygi-
enic and sanitary, TO safeguard him
from future invasion Of disease. IL
short, prevention OF disease, as well
as preservation of health are the
watchwords, in that knowledge o.
which she differs from the under.
graduate 'or practical nurse.
Twenty years ago American
nurses began to feel the need of lie
gal status, and also to feel that ii
they did not take care Of their own
affairs, outsiders would undertake
the task for them. The national socl.
ETY. could not take up the subject OF
securing state legislation because
each state must make its own laws,
so this led naturally to the formation
OF state societies in over forty states
1T IS the cooperation and organized
(efect in the associations that has
been the means of securing registra-
tiOn.
North Carolina. in 1903, was the
iirst TO secure state registration for
nurses. In 1871" thirty.sevcn states
had such laws; twenty.seven of these
states have recognized the rights of
nurses, and have given them a full
board OF nurse examiners; and nine
or them have compulsory laws. What
a marvellous piece of constructive
work has been done in the last ten
years. NJ
Some say: rs not the diploma
from a training school a sufficient
!guaranty OF .skill?' Unfortunately ali
schools are not alike. In some state
trained nurses are made to order in
six weeks. It, is true That in Or6er to
secure registration in Il chosen state
a nurse must first show her dipIc
ma; but that is only one item. She
must be a graduate 81 ut least two
years training, and that training be
general covering lmed;cinc, surgery,
gynecolOgy, Obstetrics, eye. ear. nose
and throat. and d~ictetics. Not only
must a diploma be shown. proving
that this ground has been covered.
but the nurse must be guaranteed by
her superintendent morally as well
as mentally, and also by two
other members Of the profession,
whose standing is assured and abov.
criticism. Then, and then only, is a
nurse considered eligible for registra-
ton. If this rule is carried out as
strictly in all states, as it is in some,
the standard is necessary to be high
and Il nurse must be a good woman
to reach it, and she must reach 1t to
be: permitted to practise her profes.
sion. This is bound 10 place the nurs-
ing profession in a high plane ana
keep it there. .a> .,,.' =
Registration is tic only thing tina:
can maintain a just balance in the
profession. 1t is causing the slow
death of the correspondence schools.
The laws have brought nurses iii the,
dilfercnt states. closer. tOgether,s and
each state securing a law has enc0ur.
aged some sister state to be more pro
gressive. State registration has rails
ed the standard of the -trainins'
W IC4ull lIS d CcTLulu dlllUuLC
of preliminary education; a more un.
form period and course of training;
a better preparation OF. the proba>
toner, a better application of theory
to practical work, a better and closer
supervision of the practical work, q
closer supervision over the health or
the nurse, necessitating shorter hours
and pleasant environments during
the hours OF rest. and. ri. recreation.
These requirements call for: better
methods of teaching; hence instruc,
tors are selected for their ability t.
teach. The schools are abandoning
the practise Of placing their owl,
graduates in charge, as no institu-
ton is so perfect that it cannot learn
something from another institution;
and also of sending their pupils out
tor private work while in training.
When the training schools slit. their
nurses like wheat. then there will b.
better woman to be registered, and
when hospitals are organized on tile
principal that they take nurses for
the purpose of educating them. and
not for the nursing of the sick at the