New-York tribune., 1918-06-09

message from the surgeon general was
read to the effect that this plan would
be tried out. 1t is said that it will
correspond with the three years train
ing school course. Miss Nuttng feels
that the plan, which includes a wide
spread system of affiliation with civil
hospitals, will release for service else
where many regular army nurses now
stationed in home military hospitals.
On the other hand, Dr. Goldwater.
director of the Mount Sinai Hospital,
is convinced of the shortage of trained
nurses throughout the country and
Eeenly concerned as to the existence
OF resources that may be drawn upon
to fill the rapidly widening gaps.
Training Schools
Report Shortage
when a call from General Pershing
for three or four thousand nurses was
answered short time ago it was
found impo ossible to fill their places in
The army cantonments," he said.
Many hospital training schools lin
this country, instead of overfowinng
with applicants, on the contrary report
lack of them. 1 have letters to this
effect from Cleveland, Minneapolis,
Ithaca, Denver, Washington, D. C.
According to the tabulated report
of the Survey Of Medical Resources in
the United States from July, 1917. to
March, 1918-you can see these facts
are recent - there we're accommoda-
tions for 502 pupil nurses in Connecti-
cut; while the enrolment numbered
only 2O5. In Massachusetts the ac-
comm odations were for 1,648. Only 750
were enrolled. In New York the ac-
commodations were for 3,349. Only
1,761 enrolled. In Indiana, with ac-
commodations for 529, only 215 en-
rolled. In Minnesota, with accommo-
dations for 800, 500 enrolled. In Vir-
ginia, with accommodations for 365,
81 enrolled. In Texas, with accommo-
dations for 1900, only 226 enrolled.
In Missouri, with accommodations for
500, 292 enrolled. One might continue
to give corresponding figures for all
the states.
zone way of solving the problem of
shortage would be the training of
nurses aids. The shortage question
has been most intelligently handled in
this manner.
Training Women
As Nurses Aid
Fifty thousand aids are already en-
rolled with the Red Cross, but, owing
to the opposition of registered nurses,
not allowed to take courses in hos
pitfalls. The training of the aids would
relieve trained nurses from the lighter
duties Of bathing and bedmaking, for
example.
"1n January a pamphlet was issued
by the Red Cross treating on the
nurses aid question. The opening SEN
tences ran as follows:
Ouly lAIIllteU UumDer OF nurses
aids have as yet Been called into SER
vice. While there has been little op-
portunity for the service thus far, the
unusual conditions make it necessary
that we should anticipate future needs
"Miss S, Lillian Clayton, president
of the League of Nursing Education at
the Philadelphia General Hospital,
says that out of the total number of
registered nurses only about a quarter
could be counted upon for war work.
Therefore, out of total of 65,342 regi-
istered nurses, 16,SOO would be the
highest number available
IL want no more conclusive proof
that the present drive for nurses will
not reach the required number, owing
to lack Of resources, than the admis-
sion that after the drive for registered
nurses practical nurses will be &C.
cepted, which will tend to lower medi-
cal standards that should be main
tanned"
1t is evident that while some take an
optimistic view of the situation, others
are persuaded that the present nursing
situation has reached crisis. Some
toctors and nurses acknowledge
shortage of nurses for civilian needs
md openly admit that they have no
'dea how the situation can be met.
Several physicians have little faith in
the three months course of training
given at certain hospitals.