Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-31
Justice Is Done
Trained Nurses
Long Standing disqualification
Of r C,oss Rcmoued at Re-.
guest Of DR.. MCGUIRE.

Information which reached Richmont
nels indicates that a lons-standinE dis
qualification OF n large number OF Vir
6inia graduate nurses before the Amer
lean Red Cross Association will nov
be removed.
For years the Red Cross. bcfore agree.
ing to register any nurse and there
by endow her with certain coveted
privileges. has demanded that she be 3
graduate of a hospital with a dali,
average OF at least fifty patients. Il
has often been demonstrated that thi.
ruling. in many instances. worked Sc.
rious hardship upon institutions, defc.
lent on n numerical basis, but splcn.
didly equipped from the point OF view
OF the educational facilities offered
their training schools. In spite OF this
the law has remained unchanged and
apparently Interchangeable. and as "A re.
suit only n few more than one-tcntt
OF the total numbc of graduate nurses
in Virginia have secured Red Cross
recognition.
When the task of organizing this
state into base hospitals-one in Rich
mond and one in Observation-Disclosures
service in France was approached. the
nurse situation became acute. Only
Red Cross nurses could be selected for
this work. and there were not q suf-
ticicnt number on hand. Outside the
Red Cross. however. there were hun
drcds OF well-trained and thorouEhly
capable Virginia nurses who could not
enlist. however anxious they might be
TO do So, The time had evidently come
for some powerful effort.
The matter was approached in Wash
inCton before the highest Red Cross
authorities. and thanks largely to the
work OF DR.. Stuart MCGUIRE. who will
direct the Medical College Of Virginia
base hospital. the issue has apparently
been settled in favor of the nurses. In
a telegram received here yesterday
from Or. Mcclure il was stated tina
provision has now been made for the
acceptance by the Red Cross OF gradu-
ates of all schools which can demon
strate that their courses are sufficient
~ thorough to qualify such nurses for
war service. This modification is made
without any stipulation as to the size
OF the hospital.
Those interested in the organization
of the base hospital Immediately took
up the proposition with the proper To-
cal authorities. The organization en-
powered TO pass upon the training
courses Of the hospitals in question is
the Virginia State Nurses Association
The matter is approached by an appli-
cation from the association
OF 4 given hospital for membership In
the state association. An investigation
is then made by the State organization
OF the status OF the hospital. and II
il is judged worthy of such recogni-
ton its alumnae will be admitted.
Hereafter such action will constitute
an Endorsement satisfactory TO the
Ped Cross without reference TO the
size of the hospital. At least. his is
The Interpretation here OF the new
order.
II is OF the utmost Importance, there
fore, that ~alurnnae associations not al
present identified with the State or
Eanization Immediately become so. Ap-
plication blanks arc now being hurried
through the hands of the printer and
will be sent out AT once. In the mean
time the lunna should be getting
their associations in order. so as TO
have no unnecessary delays when the
paper reach their hands.
The new ruling will make possible
the acceptance into the Richmond base
hospital Of many nurses now excluded.
Those 20 whom the situation applies
may communicate at once with Miss
f.. y. Edmonds. at ST. Luke's Hospital,
or Or. ]. +. Grisingcr at Stuart Circle
Hospital.