The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-31
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
IN F 0 r M A TON
,BURE AU
FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Director.
Washington. D. c.
NEEDED: MORE NURSES.

NEEDED: MORE NURSES.
Washington, D. c., July 2s.-In a
few days an appeal will be made by
the government TO the educated and
earnestly patriotic women of the coun-
try to devote a part of their lives to
a war service of the utmost impor-
lance to America. 1t will be an ap-
peal for recruits for the United States
student nurses reserve.
With each successive casualty list
tn deE--nd for the American SOL
dfers at the battle lines for more
trained nurses takes a perceptible and
sometimes startling Increase. So
many thousand skilled nurses have
gone to serve at the front at the pres
ent time, that the hospitals and train
ing schools of the United States can
not answer these fresh demands. Vir-
tually every general hospital in the
country is worrying along with a
shortage Of competent nurses.
1t is to fill the gaps which the
wounding of so many American SOL
dierS has made in the ranks of the
nurses here at home, and to provide
for the release of other nurses ade-
quately equipped for service at the
front, that the United States muses.
reserve has been organized.
the young women of America are to be
told, will depend largely upon victory
| against disease here at home. The war
cannot be won unless the workers in
war industries in America are sus-
tanned in health and strength against
the hazards which beset them; unless
accident and disease are defeated here
More than $4,000 women are needed
| for the work. The surgeon general of
the United States army, the United
| States public health service, the Ameri-
can Red Cross, the general medical
board and the women's division of
| the council of national defense have
united in an effort to find these
| women and to place them where they
| are most needed.
A recruiting campaign of two weeks
will be launched. During this time
| the $4,000 local units of the state d.
visions of the council will designate
places where young women who pos
sess the requisite qualifica atoms may
| enroll.
The problem lies in the selection of
| means for reaching proper material.
The goyernemnt at all costs will en-
/ deavor to maintain the. present high
! standard of hospital service.
The educational requirements for
admission vary according to state
| laws and hospital regulations; but n
| most cases they are rather exacting.
The Johns Hopkins University hospi-
| tai, for example, demands that each
| applicant shall possess at least a high
| school education or a certificate of
| graduation from another school OF
! equal rating. This is also the case
| with army hospitals. Some hospitals
demand that their nurses be colleg
| graduates, while for others a year or
two of secondary school training will
suffice.
1t will be seen then that the re-
| cruiting area for the nurses reserve
will be somewhat restricted one
The average young woman of educa-
ton, If she does not marry, usually
manages after year or two to find
herself a pretty good job. It might
also be said here that the government
does not wish to draw from the ranks
| OF women who are performing valua-
BILE patriotic work, as in teaching OF
| in social service
The direct appeal must be made tc
| the patriotism of the individual and
the genuineness of her desire to heir
out The advantages of nursing a.
| a profession must be made a side is.
sue. For with these advantages-thc
they are legion-must be taken into
account the necessity of three years
training with little or no pay.
The main rewards for such a sacri
flee must be the satisfaction of rem
dering service in a time of need. Ye
material rewards will not be lacking
Modern nursing is constantly opening
new fields, and all of these will bt
open to the members of the SUDDEN
nurses reserve.
| Possibly there will not be much ro
nance in store for the student nurse
There is little chance, unless the wal
continues for a very long time, tina
she will be sent to the front. Most O.
her work will be plain, hard work
There will he 60
range, and it will be a long time be
fore she will be allowed to adjus
bandages on heroic heads. In tn,
present war, nurses like soldiers, ar,
not made over night.
Yet she will undoubtedly have Lee
| opportunity t. nurse soldiers. Tn,
army hospitals in this country are be
ing constantly enlarged to meet tn
arrival of fresh harvests of the cease
less battles. Before long a good man.
wounded soldiers may be found in tn
| wards of general ospitalS
Two sorts of service will be open t,
the recruits of the nurses reserve
preferred and deferred The CIR
who enrolls for preferred" service
signifies her consent to serve in what
ever hospital or school she may b
| assigned and to commence her servic
whenever the government may ask
= In the deferred" class, the recruit ex
presses a desire to serve in a particu
lar hospital beginning at a particula
!, time. So far as is possible all of thes
requests will be granted: but it is in
evtable that the girl who expresse
no preferences will be assigned frs
The government is hoping there vii
be good many of her.
The gravity of the whole situation
} in regard to nurses has not been over
] estimated. More than $4,000 gradu
4 ate nurses have enlisted for 'servic
t overseas. A large proportion of Their
1 have been prevented from goin
: abroad because there was no one t
fill their places at home. Whethe
these places are now filled will de
, pend on the results of the recruitin
I campaign for the student nurses re
. serve.