The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-06-06

against while they were waiting for |
the cali to military duty, and their /
places taken by the selfish nurse who /
has not enrolled and who stays at /
home to reap the financial benefits /!
made possible to her by the patriot
ism OF her sister nurses.
C. Not only can the public be pas
sively helpful by dispencing with IN
necessary services of registere nurs-
es, but it can be actively helpful by
insisting in cases where the service
of q registered nurse are actually
needed that the nurse employed be an
enrolled Red Cross nurse.
The nurse enrolled, through the
Red Cross, In the services Of her coun-
try stands ready to sacrifice all. even
her life If necessary, for love OF her
country. She Is entitled to sympathy,
the support and interest Of the mil
lions of women whose husbands, bro
theirs and sons who are fighting for
its safety. Not only should the Wom-
en- of the country encourage nurses
who have this blessed opportunity for
service, to volunteer promptly but
they should make every possible effort
to protect nurses who are holding
themselves ready for service and
share with them the responsibility and
sacrifice.
No one believes, however, that the
nurse-enIploying public has failed
purposely IN its duty to the enrolled
Red Cross nurse; but in such a situa-
ton thoughtlessness or ignorance is
as dangerous as deliberate discrimina-
| ton against the nurse who has an
swered her country's call. If there is
to be discrimination it should be
against the unpatriotic nurse who
seeks safety, ease and profit at the
expense of those who are willing to
serve their country.
8. APPEAL TO THE PHYSI-
CLAN.
A solemn obligation rests upon the
medical profession in this matter of
enrolment of nurses; and, as in the
case of the nurSe-employing public
the difficulty to overcome is largely
that of thoughtlessness. Members of
the medical profession are patriotic
and eager to do their share in help
ing to win the war; and they can be
| largely instrumental in regulating the
nursing situation. The public ac-
cepts the Recommendation of the ply
stefan as to the necessity for a trained
nurse in any given case. Physicians,
individually and collectively, can do
much to release for service in the Ar
my and Navy Nurse Corps, all nurses
I
practice. It is safe to assume that
the medical profession will cooperate
| heartily in this respect as soon as the
overshadowing need for Army and
Navy nurses is brought to this notice
1t should be brought to the atten-
| ton of the doctors by the local COM
nnittees that a considerable number
of graduate nurses might be released
for military service if the doctors
would utilize women physicians as
anesthetists while trained laywOmen
in many cases fill the places of lab
aratory or Office assistance.
4. APPEAL TO INSTITUTIONS
AND ORGANIZATIONS EMPLOY
ING NURSES:
1t is generally agreed that there
can be brought about material con-
servation of nursing cativities in the
hospitals of the country, thereby re-
leasing nurses for their country's
service. The hospitals, like the pub
lie and the physicians, no doubt are
ready to cooperate when the matter
is set before them. They can coop
crate by employing as head nurses
those who are not eligible for Red
Cross service because of age, slight
physical disability, or family ties. TO
SUM UP: In the Nursing Campaign
committees should seek to bring fore
ably to the attention of the nurses,
the public, the doctors and the hospi-
tails, the fact that there exists a COM
pelling demand for registered nurs-
es, that no more urgent need exists to-
| day and that no other factor can be
more important IN the winning of
this war tina inadequate care of ouT
sick and wounded.