The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-22

| the board of health Of Wells county
at Fessenden, writes The Forum re-
garding the qualification Of school
nurses. This question" he writes
sis agitating nurses, young women
county supervisors, students and
commissioners. Few have ideas re-
garding it and most ideas on the sub
ject are wrong. I think that my
statement may raise a discussion and
help to clear the atmosphere.
DR.. Ovens statement follows:
What is required Of a school nurse
This question comes up 50 fire.
quently that / shall attempt to an
i. She must have good common
sense, intellect, spirit. sympathy
strong interest in the work and an
ability to handle human nature, with
courage and tact.
Also strong personality and char
acter above reproach.
These things are more important
than special training as a nurse.
She needs the theory of nurs-
ing, clinical experience in eye, ear.
nose and throat, with diseases OF
children.
3. First aid course.
4. Course in sanitation.
s. A-She should recognize the
following diseases;
i. Enlarged tonsils; 2, tonsilitis;
3, uuinsy; 4. Adenoids; 5, scarlet
fever; 6, measles; z, mumps; 8, diph-
liberia; 8, whooping cough; 10, trach-
oma; IL, pink eye; IL, impetigo; 1S'
itch; IA, perculosis; Is, eczema. 9th
err skin diseases only in a general
way.
suspected. 1t is too much to expect
O. positive diagnosis.
C-She should recognize in a gem
eral way diseases Of children, diseas"
es OF eye, ear, nose and throat. Also
Anenia, malnutrition, scrofulas back
wardness, feeble mindedness, defects
Of body or mind.
D-She should understand hygiene,
the care of children and infants;
school hygiene. Lecturing on the
care Of the body. the teeth for ex-
ample.
Sanitary condition OF school nous
es, out buildings, etc.
With tact and courage she should
be able to show how the poor desks
cause deformity, how poor lighting
affects the eyes, poor ventilation
causes colds, ETC., so as to arouse a
spirit among the people without STIR
ring up animosities.
D-She should know all about the
teeth up to the point where a dentist
is needed.
E-she should be familiar with
simple mouth washes, gargles, eye
wash, disinfection Of hands, clothes,
cures for lice. impetigo, chapped
hands, ETC., up to the point where 2
doctor is needed.
F-she should diagnose or suspect
typhoid fever, epidemic Jaundice'
pneumonia, pleurisy, neuralgia rup-
ture, sudden obstruction of the bow
els, retention of urine, and all acci-
dents or sudden diseases that require
q physician.
Al diagnosis Is not required in these
cases, but a sensible recognition or
dangerous conditions without becom-
Ing unduly alarmed by small mat
A sensible woman Of at least Is
years can do this in year IL she
is intellectually well advanced before
taking UP the course.
Who will outline course OF this
kind? Why not the II. or the "A. CT
1t certainly can be done.
why not give a b. al. degree con-
tanning one year Of this work?
Mistakes are generally made in
selecting the type Of woman for this
work
Too much stress is laid on. the
training and not enough on general
fitness and general education and
spirit.
I wish to state most emphatically
that we do not need 8 graduate
nurse for this work.
Al woman OF high school education
who has subsequently developed her
responsibility and mental powers
through some work or business
woman Of strong spirit and person
aIity, Of the highest type Of practical
intellect, q woman that lives for her
work, one who can get up before an
audience and speak in a pinch---no
sham goes; We must have the feai