Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-02
MISS VAN WORT BEGINS
! SURVEY OF NURSING
Gathering Data as to Available Sup.
i, ply OF Adequately Trained
:. Nurses and Assistants.
HAS BEARING ON WAR WORK
Report Will Show Number Of Grad
>, uate and Undergraduate Nurses I'm
Virginia, and May Have Great Eff
h fcct on Training Schools.

Miss r. H. Van Wort. superintendent
~ Stuart Circle Hospital, has under
taken a gigantic task. possibly one or
tho biKsest jobs ~ woman has tackled
in the State OF Virginia since war was
'declared. Under the direction OF that
|rgondertully effective organization. the
Council OF National Defense, working
through the State division. and more
directly through the board of the
Graduate Nurses Association OF Vir-
ginis. Miss Van Wort is chairman OF
tho survey committee of the nursing
resources OF Virginia.
Tho purpose OF the survey is to get
a definite idea of the nursing situation
u the State. 1t Is desired TO show
the number Of nurses ordinarily en-
fptoyed in the different fields OF work
and at the same time TO note the
changes that the war is causing In the
fAnks Of the workers. The four ques-
ttpns which the census Is expected TO
answer arc % VIII it be necessarily
Immediately TO utilize the volunteer
AID less trained workers? Cd Or is
the situation such that II can be con-
tfplled by Increasing the ranks Of the
graduate trained nurses. through
lhrger classes i'm the training schools
and wider use OF the older students?
t3) Will the demand for more public
health nurses and for more executives
In institutions, increased as 1t is by
the needs Of war. be met by our graau-
ate nurses? The field has never been
adequately covered. % How can the
ffeed he met now with ranks depleted
by war?
THOUSANDS OF LETTERS
HAVE BEEN SENT OUT
An Idea OF the magnitude Of the task
which Miss Van Wort has undertaken
as her bit. may be gained from the
fact that at the outset she has sent
Fout thousands OF letters TO try to get
In touch with every organization con
cerned in any way with nursing SER
vice Nursing service" IL interpreted
to include not only those who are car
Ing for the sick and also those who are
graduate nurses. even though their
present work may not be nursing.
Thus. primarily, tie chairman's actiri-
ties viii be confined TO the four chief
,ypea Of organizations concerned with
nursing service: i) Nursing in iasu-
buttons. tO public health nursing, 60
nurges' reGistrics. 50 nurses organiza
tons rhe institutions" include al!
tvpes Of hos pitfalls. sauatoria. homes for
children homes for adults or tic aged.
homes for conYaiesCents. rctormatoTics
and day nurseries which engage any
:.ass Of nursing service
No, only does the survey concern
Itself with graduate and uudcrgradu
late nurses. hut trained ana UNFRAMED
attendants. orderlics. MurscS aids pTac-
teal nurses. married nurses who are
no longer following nursing - u pro-
lfcssion, pupil nurses, Fed Cross nurses
school nurses. welfare workers, and
CeYGn ,hoac who arc considering enter
ling training will xii he included in the
suEvcy These engaged in public hfelt
n,s5ging Inv the state Viii also DC fss'
cog There AZ" ninety active pphN'
hcAlth nurses in TirsiriA At the pres
ent time, II Is UNDERSTOOD.
INTERESTING DATA
Is BEING COMPILED
Miss Van Mort is. scrImi; out immcdi-
Ately 5000 cards which are TO be filcd
In ard returned 10 her by tho recip!'
cnts. Cards Of FIVE colors and sever
forms, three inches by i've. arc used
which. when returned and .flci. vii
form Il reg ste- OF the nursing person
! mel OF the state CT Virginia which
can be referred 10 ct any tim" .no
will serve as authentic and autholita'
tive information. All the cards ask
for practically tho same Information
name, permanent address, name OF
training. school date Of graduation
"R. ~" In what State. registry or or
Eanization, telephone number If in the
city. and speciality.
When the cards are all returned &c
Miss Van Wort thoy will be filed alpha
bctically. The Gifcrcn, colors indi.
cate the different classes Of nursing
service, SO that ct glance one car
tell Approximately how many regis
tered nurses. how many graduate
nurses not registered. how many prac-
tical nurses. how many trained at
tcndants and how rsuy nurses aids
\ there are IN city or in the State. as
a whole. These forms are furnished
oy, tho American Nurses Association
so that the surveys being made all owe!
the country will be uniform, ard wher
n survey is complete n report will bt
made 70 the secretary OF the Ameri
can Nurses Association.
Miss Van Norts report will be OF the
most vital interest to every SUDDEN,
ofsthe present war situation. since I,
hab direct bearing OH local condi.
TROOPS HAVE PNEUMONIA;
u CAN BE PREVENTED