Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-09
BENEFIT OF WORK
SHOWN IN REPORT
East Moline Community Nurse in First
Year Makes 2.06s Calls on
Patients.

Ample evidence that the work of
the community nurse of East Moline
is filing a great need is found in the
record of the first year, report of
which has been filed by Miss NJ. Belle
Smith, nurse, Inauguration Of the
community nursing service in East
Moline was in October, 1915, and dur
ing the year the nurse made a total
OF 2,068 calls, visited 1855 patients, gave
nursing care to 1856, advised 10, Wis
tied 10 not needing nursing care, and
visited one not given nursing care be-
cause the case was one of contagious
disease OF the total calls made, 1,314
were classified as nursing calls, 5o7
as miscellaneous calls, 40 for inspec-
tons, and n for consultations.
Miss Smith reports with satisfac-
ton that the service has had hearty
cooperation from all sides and that
individuals and organizations have
lent assistance in all departments of
the work, general nursing, school
nursing, child welfare. social welfare
and the giving of material relief.
Mothers have shown needs of the ser
vice through frequent calls Tor con-
sultation and in bringing babies to the
Office for weighing, and by attendance
at the baby welfare week meetings.
The nurse has assisted the superyis-
ors of the poor, truaHt officers and
police matron, and she has also asked
aid of all of these officials, finding
ready cooperation.
Wages of families needing guidance
/ in the expenditures of their incomes
have been given to the office to han
die, as we'll as special collections for
relief of needy individuals
In a survey of the schools made at
request of the board of education, $50
pupils were inspected as to eyes, ears,
nose, throat and skin conditions. A
record in each case was made and filed
with the superintendent of schools
and notice Of the findings sent to par
ents. Fifteen short health talks were
given in that connection Thirty-two
/ days were spent in this work
| There were 1856 calls for nursing
/ service, from these sources: Family
Of patient, SO; shop, 80; physician, %:
/ Metropolitan Life insurance agent, 8
neighbors, 9; school. Z: church. /, and
others, g. Nationalities and races We're
represented as follows: American, so;
Belgian, 81; Polish, %: Greek, 20,
Swedish, s; colored, s. Bohemian and
Russian. 8 each; French, German.
Scotch. Irish, Mexican, Italian, Lithu-
anian and Danish, 1 each.
Fffty-four patients paid either in
| full or part, directly or indirectly, for
I the nursing service Three patients
were taken to a hospital in the nurses
| car. and two were removed from the
hospital; II were taken to a physi-
| clans Office; four to a dentists Office,
and is babies were weighed in the
Office.
| In the department Of relief of the
needy, Christmas bundles were sent
/ TO q homes. Baskets Of food were
sent to nine families. 4 Christmas
gift of $27,50 was given to the work.
and was expended for clothing for
children unable to go TO school be
cause of lack of articles supplied.
| Twenty-three families have been given
relief, and five cases have been refer
red TO the township supervisor and
four to the police matron. The nurse
received 354 articles of clothing for
distribution, and has distributed %
cans of preserved vegetables, fruits
and jelly, from the Woman's clubs
pound donation. Of the clothing re-
ceiVed, Is various articles have been
distributed.
Miss Smith in her report urges that
some special organization. assume
charge Of the relief work. She pre-
diets that the coming winter will pro-
duce an increased number of calls due
to sudden growth in population with
Icongested housing and war conditions
as additional elements Giving of
nursing care and relief by one indi-
vidual, she suggests, is not desira-
Bile way to obtain the best results in
either case.
In the report the nurse comments
on the loyal support Of the Womanfs
club, and the aid of the Camp Fire
| Girls, the Loyal Daughters and the
East Moline Methodist Aid society.
T Better results and achievement of
hoped for extensions in the service
are predicted for the second year of
the service.