The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-04-18


iltry service and adapting itself to the new war
'iIne conditions which bound to follow
me country has shown determination that it's
Soidlers and sailors shall have proper care de-
clareS MISS Jane a. DeanO, director of the DEPART
hent OF nursing of the American Red Cross Miss
Delano mas been responsible for the organization
oI the great war nursing service of the Red Cross
Inc calls made upon the Red Cross nursing
service by the government have been met I'D to
this time" said Miss Delano in discussing the
growing need of nurses. "The gravity of the stua-
ton lies in the problem Immediately confronting
the country 1t is incOnceivable that our bows and
men, who are offering all they have for US should
not have the best care that the utmost skill and
devotion can give them. Nurses have responded
splendidly to military service, soon as they have
realized the enOrmty of the needs
1.-THE nursing profession will not fail But the
Iact that must be brought home to everyone is that
every nurse released for military duty leaves a
vacancy In civilian life. And this, too, q time
when there is an increased amount of sickness and
distress brought about by the very war conditions
which decrease the number Of nurses in civilian
hospitals.
by recent estimate of the surgeon generals
office not far from 10000 nurses may be needed.
if the continues, for our army alone, and the
allies are depending on US to supplement their
own nursing service. There are between $4,000
and 10000 nurses registered in the United States
Approximately 1900 of this number are already
enrolled Red Cross nurses. This enrolment is the
of the United States army nurse corps and
navy nurse corps, and from ii also sup
required.
"Since the declaration of war the department of
nursing has selected and equipped for service with
the army nurse corps 1904 nurses, and with the
navy nurse corps $40. 1t is maintaining several
hundred more directly under the Red Cross, in
Guiding SO nurses in France II in ROumania. three
in Greece and In Serbia, and 56 Red Cross pub
lie health nurses on duty in the sanitary
rounding the cantOnments There are also over
1000 nurses organized into units and practically
ready for mobilization.
Though the enrolment of nurses with the Red
Cross averages 1000 month, not this num-
Der will meet the constantly increasing needs of
the government" continued Miss Delano. $50 far,
by careful adjustment these demands have been
met without seriously disorganizng the home con-
ditions. But from now every possible effort
will have to be made by the general public, well
as by the nursing profession and nurses training
schools to meet wisely and effectively the crisis
that is created by the rapidly decreasing number
of nurses in civilian hospitals
When asked how the general public could
tribute to bring this about, Miss Delano outlined
several plans of cooperation.
1.-The general public" she said, ''can cooperate
in such vital matters as releasing more private
duty nurses for military duty. 1t can do this def
nitely and Immediately by utilizing hospital facili-
ties visiting nurses, and similar agencies where
one nurse for several patients; by fam
lilies learning to for minor illnesses in their
homes, and by preparing by whatever means
are afforded in their communities to assist in all
matters pertaining to public health,
"a striking example of how the women of the
country have already begun to take hold of the
situation is the fact that $4,000 women have
satisfactorily completed the Red Cross courses of
Is lessons each in Elementary Hygiene and Home
Care for the Sick and Home Dietetics,' which
were established for the purpose of aiding
to for the sick in their own homes. Several
groups of men, about to move into isolated dis
tricts, have also taken these courses.
"Then,' continued Miss DelanO, public interest
is needed in recruiting the nursing profession The
country through the surgeon general, through the
Red Cross through the council of national defense,