Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-01-17
Public Health Nursing.

ioundly affected by the war. and
none Is attempting more seriously to
readjust itself to the new ideals and
conditions brought about by the
war. than the profession Of nursing.
simultaneously with the call for
soldiers. there went out at the be-
ginning of the war call for nurses.
More than 10000 responded. They
have served hcroically. They have
endured hardship. and suffered in
jury and death. Now, along with
the soldiers. they are leaving the
army But the returning nurse
presents problem very different
from that Of the returning soldier,
There Is what amounts to a new
profession waiting for her. Offering
the opportunity Of another national
service. in which the ideals for
which she helped fight the war can
be fulfilled. u is the profession of
public health nursing. which was in
its infancy when the war began.
After every great war there has
been new development in nursing.
After the crusades the nursing or
ders grew up. After the Crimean
war the trained nurse developed. 1t
is natural that the outgrowth Of this
war for democracy should be the
public health nurse. for she stands
for the specialization and equal dis
tribution. according to need. of
nursing care. and for the main
tcnance OF health by the education
of the people rather than merely for
the cure OF disease.
The draft figures. with their
alarming percentage of rejection Of
tho UNIT: the necessity for the con-
scrvation Of life to compensate for
the losses of war: the importance to
the nation. made evident in war. of
maintaining the health. that is. the
working efficiency. of every citizen
ALL these things have given an
impetus to public health work. 1t
II. in consequence. the basis and
starting point of most rcconstruc-
tion programs. not only in this
country but abroad. where Lloyd
George. for instance. declared in the
English Parliament that 1.-The health
of the people must be the chief con-
Germ Of the state"
II is recognized. however. that
mono OF these national public health
programs can be carried out effec-
lively unless the number of public
health nurses is Immediately and
very greatly increased. More
trained public health officials are
also needed, but the greatest short
age Is in the number of nurses.
This is made evident in the follow
ing statements by heads of govern
ment departments:
Secretary OF War Baker declares:
The public health nurse, one Of the
greatest forces in promoting ma
tional health. is needed in greatly
increased numbers"
Secretary OF Labor Wilson states:
"l.abor's reconstruction program
must include a carefully formulated
plan for repairing the physical
waste and destruction Of war by the
conservation and renewal of ma
tional health. Public health nurses
enter into such n program in many
ways. in Industrial. visiting and in
FAINT welfare service. To bring to
every worker in our country this
skilled care many more public
health nurses must be put to work
in the community"
Miss Julia Lathrop. chief of the
Children's Bureau. says: In any
program to save the lives Of moth
ers and babies. public health nurses
are essential. For that reason. all
who are interested in the protection
of childhood are watching eagerly
the plans OF such organizations as
the National Organization for Pub
lie Health Nursing to increase the
number Of public health nurses"
To meet this demand for public
health nurses. the. National Organi-
sation for Public Health Nursing.
founded in 1912 to standardize
training and act - . bureau Of in
formation and advice. has an
nounced a campaign for a scholar
ship fund to enable nurses leaving
military service to take the training
for public health work. The schol-
arships will also be available to
members Of senior classes in hos
pital training schools. so many of
whom had pledged themselves to
war work.
The National Organization en-
phastxes the necessity for special
training in addition to the regular
hospital courses. to prepare women
TO meet the difncult problems Of in
dustrial and social readjustments
which public health work entails,
Ind TO avoid the costly mistakes
which inevitably are made by nurses
who attempt to learn the principles
OF pubic health work from expert
ence.
The need for scholarships arises
from the fact that most nurses, as