The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-09-11
NURSING SERVICE
OF RED CROSS IS
IMPORTANT item
Will Extend Work to Every Com
munity in Effort to Better
Health Conditions.
WILL USE CHAPTER FUNDS
Only Qualified Public Health
Nurses Will be Appointed
to Positions.

~ OSUiOHS.
During the last quarter of n cen
tury nursing service has come tC
hold place In tho front ranks
professions. Old prejudlces against
1t because of imagined hardships and
temptations are things OF the past.
The idea that II is life OF drudgery
and servility has been completely de.
stroyed by the service OF nurses in the
war and the recognition which has
been given this service They have
lifted womaghood on the rising crest
OF their achievements. There is to.
day no profession for women which
commands greater respect or bringt
with 1t n more complete sense OF
achievement.
The nursing service established by
the American Red Cross Is destined
to become one OF the most important
departments OF the organization
Five hundred thousand lives lost in
one year through the influenza cpl
demic; 100000 men rejected from
service to their country because OF
physical defects; three out OF every
ten babies born lost each year through
lack OF care. These are but few o,
the many health conditions prevent
able through the service OF Public
Health Nurse, which the Red Cros
Is striving TO place in every commun
ity In the country.
Interest in public health nursing Is
widespread throughout the country
and many agencies, Federal and State
public and private. are engaged in de.
veloping various branches OF this
work. For the most part these ef
forts have been confined TO the cities
and many of the small towns VII
lagos and country places have not yet
secured the advantages OF nursing
service.
To Help Rural Districts.
The Red Cross. as one of its peace
time activities, is seeking to assist IN
the development of community nurs
ing in the rural districts and small
towns through the Chapters and
through afiillation with other public
health nursing organizations in need
OF its advice and interest. This work
is purposely restricted to rural dis
trlcts or to towns having a popula
tion OF approximately not more than
10000, and is carried on al
over the United States It Is col
Quoted by the Bureau OF Public Health
Nursing which Is bureau pt the De
partment OF Nursing OF the American
Red Cross.
In every community there are peo
pie who are I'll with acute or chronic
diseases who cannot AFFORD. or do not
need, or cannot get resident nurse
but who require some professional
nursing care in addition to the atten
tion of the family.
Among these are some with chronic
heart disease or certain incurable
maladies; others injured I'm accidents
who may have been in bed foi
months; men and women III with ty
phoid and little children with pneu
monia; and many maternity cases
The community nurse Is needed "a
care for these patients. The fact
that many who can afford II go "a
hospitals helps to lessen the burden
OF nursing in the home, but the great
bulk OF nursing throughout the coun
try, especially in small towns and
rural communities, falls upon un
trained members OF households wher,
there is sickness.
The National Red Cross is anxiou,
to promote this work In small town,
and In the country through Red Cros
Chapters, and has authorized the us,
OF Chapter funds for this purpose
The work may, therefore, be started
by the Red Cross Chapter Ere
quently a nursing service is main
tained at public expense by tn,
County Supervisors, Board OF Health
Board of Education or Town Council
A group OF interested citizens Otter
organize visiting nurse associa
tion.
When this work is carried on by
Red Cross Chapter, or by public
health nursing organization whicl
affiliates with the American Rec
Cross, certain advantages are secured
The Red Cross appoints only a quail
fed public health nurse to fll tn,
position.