The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-18
GO AFTER NURSES


noon. John Vetter. an old Topeka
citizen. living at 1870 Branner street,
died Thursday afternoon.
The situation regarding nurses at
the emergency hospital is almost des-
perate. There were sixty-two pa
tients in the hospital this morning.
About twenty were to be released to-
day. But thare is a waiting list of
twenty-one who will be placed in the
hospital as soon as the room is pro-
vided. 1t is not that there is not
enough room in the building but that
there are not enough nurses to care
for the patients if they were scattered
out over any more space than is al
ready used in caring for them.
Altho the Red Cross has been ap-
pealing for graduate nurses, it is said
by Red Cross officials and the public
Health authorities that there are about
six graduate nurses in Topeka who
are refusing to lend their assistance
they are doing easier. but non-essen-
tial work, according to the committee
in charge of the hospital. Itis very
strongly indicated that strong arm
methods may be used on these reluc-
tant nurses. unless they see fit to
lend their aid.
One Nurse Exhausted.
at makes me boiling mad to hear
of these nurses who are wearing the
Red Cross and refusing to live up to
the obligations of their profession and
to the Red Cross pledges" Doctor
Clark said this morning. I'VE have a
staff of the most loyal and patriotic
nurses in the state helping in our
emergency hospital but We haven't
nurses don't have to do hard work
they are holding on to their easy jobs
and let the patriotic nurses work all
day and half the night One of our
nurses. a young married woman with
a home she thinks as much of as any
other woman in Topeka, has been on
duty every day and was on duty all
day Wednesday. Because there were
no graduate nurses to relieve her she
stayed on duty half the night with
several patients who were near death
and whose chances for life depended
on proper attention. This nurses hus-
band had to carry her into the house
when he got her home and had to put
her to bed. Did this nurse send an
excuse this morning and say she was
too tired to help us? She did not.
She came to the hospital this morning
and we have not been able to get her
to go home, because there are hypo-
dermics to be given to two or three
desperately sick patients on her floor
and there is no one else to give them.
'TheN rest of our nurses" continued
Doctor Clark, ARE just as willing and
self sacrificing. They feel under as
great an obligation as do soldiers in
the army and all of them are thinking
of their patients first and themselves
second Because we lack enough
trained nurses we have had to deny
admission to several dangerously sick
patients.
1.-THE other graduate nurses in To-
peka" said Doctor Clark, "who are
physically able will have to come to
our help or we will be forced to take
steps which may result in their names
getting into the papers. Any nurses
called by the Red Cross who do not
answer their call, will not be able TIC
work in Topeka at any kind of work
nursing or Office work, and they are
likely to be stripped of their Red
Cross badges"
Report to Headquarters.
A Red Cross representative on the
committee in charge of the emergency
hospital, stated this morning that it is
very probable that the names of the
delinquent nurses who are members
| of the Red Cross and entitled to wear
| the Red Cross badge will be reported
| to Red Cross division headquarters al
St. Louis and will be stricken from the
mem bership rolls. The reluctancy OF
some of these nurses to coming forth
in the present emergency is ascribed
| to the fact that SOME of these womef
have applicati tons in the routine pro
cess for overseas service with the
| Red Cross. In the mean time they
are resting up" in order to withstand
/ the terrible strain they will be sub
| jected to in the warning countries. I
| is practically a feregone conclusion
that these applicants for overseas serv-
/ ice have already lost all chance of be
| ing accepted for foreign service. The
Red Cross, the authorities say, doe.
not care to recommend nurses of thi:
| kind