Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-26
MISS MARGARET A. DUNLOP

THE constantly increasing demand for
i trained nurses due to the widening of
the field Of nursing. is creating n shortage
in this profession which must be mot pri-
marily by the public, according to Miss
Margaret A. Dunlop, Superintendent OF
nurses at the Pennsylvania Hospital.
"Thcrc arc many remedies" she says.
"but since it Is tho public which demands
nurses. it has responsibility toward the
maintenance Of trimming schools and must
provide the funds.
Miss Dunlop explained how. the field Of
nursing has dcvc0prd since the war, and
that while hospitals possibly suffered by
nurses leaving to go into institutional. pun
lie health or community nursing yet this IN
itself should make the profession more at
traCtivc.
1.-THE public health problem has come to
the fore recently" said Miss Dunlop. land
the various organizations, federal and state
health bureaus, Red Cross. community. in
Stitut0na and educational, are creating
constant demand for trained nurses.
Many Drop Studies
While n great many women entered nurs-
ing during the war, taking short courses
not IA great percentage Of these. according 10
Miss Dunlop. have continued their training.
She said these women would prove valuable
rs volunteers during cpidemicS, relieving the
regular nursing Staffs Of hospitals, but that
due 10 their not having finished the regular
two or three year courses they could never
take the place of the regular nurse.
One Of the reasons why IN" superintendent
at the Pennsylvania Hospital wishes larger
staff Is to enable her I" arrange u working
day Of eight hours for nurses. This Tighten
ing Of n nurses aborS, said she, would tend
to make III" profession more popular.
Asked tho reasons for the present shortage
of nurses. Miss Duulop said:
"FOr exactly the same reason that there
Is II shortage of teachers: the work is labori
Gus and the trimming is hard in comparison
to the financial remuneration gained Ill other
businesses 0r professions.
Nursing Is no longer the only field open
to women now there is scarcely any field OF
human rndCuv0r which is closed to women.
And. unfortunately. today there Is more ma
tcriuism thun id"alsm. business and It's
possibilities uf large salaries nre appealing
to women.
Present Hours Too Long
"AnOthcr reason" said she, lis that, due
to the long hours and hard work involved in
the training at nurse, many parents re-
fuse 20 allow their daughters to enter
training school "r hospital.
II feel 1t the duty Of every community to
care for its own health. This Is rapidly
being realized proofs Of which are the uu-
ncr0us community organizations and state
health bureaus which are being formed"
Miss Dunlop touched upon tho oppOrtuni-
ties for women, far greater today than ever
before in the nursing profession. Because
of this, and the fact that the knowledge re-
duircd Of trained nurses is constantly more
technical and broader, it is necessary to
draw more educated women into the pro-
fcSsiou.
"Aud 10 do 81" sh" said. 1--WE must offer
definite thngs--a well planned curriculum,
good living conditions and reasonable work
ing hours.
''Conditions have changed greatly since I
started nursing. Twenty hv" or thirty years
ago the standards were much lower Then
il wasn't urrcSsaTy for n nurse to know as
much she didn't have 70 do 50 much work
along scientific lines for pkysiriaus. Now.
doctors have come 10 depend upOn their
nurses to DO n great deal for them
Standards Being Raised
'"Chc NOR" women We have applying for
training the higher we can make our stand
ards. for then We would need to take only
tn" very best type of young womcn--thC one
Whu is well grounded intellectually s and we'll
fitted physically for the work required"
Miss Dunlop enumerated the various
phases and branches of nursing which have
recently been developed, aS follows:
First Private nursing.
Second Positions with public or private
institutions.
Third. Positions with the medical depart
mcnts of large industrial plants
Fourth. Educationa positions; the teach.
ing of first aid aud sickness prevention in
schools.
Fifth. Positions undc; tho various health
bureaus. federal state aud municipal.
Sixth. Community. settlement and dis
trict work and visiting nursing.