The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1921-04-21

iNHSNiJ put Showing i!tCH SOOu dC'
complished.
Members present at regular monthly
meeting We're: Mines. Stephens, Roy,
hlillps, Winstead and Porter, MISS
DreyiuS, Rev. Shuts and Dr. Pratt.
The work Ct the visiting nurse is re-
celvlng great deal of att 4ntion and
she was comp.ll. ented for her excel
lent report.
The following article on The Public
Health Nurse was contributed bv one
of our Red Cross workers.
PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE"
About one fourth of the people are
without medical advisors. They cal a
physician only when they are sick abed,
and drop him as soon as they can sit
up They neglect conditions that are
painless and believe that they will out
grow ordinary chronic complaints.
They overlook physical defects, which
lead to permanent disability or incom-
potency.
| They live amid unsanitary surround
Ings, and practice unhygienc habits
which render them easy victims to
contagious diseases.
The preyentable physical defects and
many of those conditions which NAV
be remedied by social agencies come
under the jurisdiction Of the health
officer. A Public Health Nurse is
needed for the victims while their de-
tects are in remediable stage. Her
work is to advise, educate, encourage
and inspire the sufferers and those
who are responsible for their welfare.
Physicians are usually willing to do
nate their medical and surgical service
to those in need provided they do not
have the bother Of persuading them to
undergo examinations and to follow
advise intelligently and willingly. The
nurse is the field agent of the physi-
clan and the health officer. She makes
the preliminary arrangements for ex-
amlnatlons and operations, attends to
the tolloW-up inspections, and sees that
instructions are carried out. She
makes 1T possible for physicians to
give their services with fair pros !
pect that those Who receive them will
be permanently helped. She is almost
indispensable in the practice of pre-.
ventive medicine.
In contrast with visiting nurses |
duties, the public health nurse does
preventive work. She does not nurse
private cases for physicians, except in
emergencies, and then only until other
care can be provided. She deals with
those who require physicians services
only frequently, but who do REQUIRE
oversight, instructions, and encour-
agement over considerable periods of
time. She has large number of per-
sons under observation and instruction
at one time, and refers each one to the
health officer or physician at infre-
quent intervals. She deals principally
with children in whom defects NAV be
permanently remedied, provided the
proper home treatment is given or hv-
gien!c measures are followed.
Although she depends On physicians
for diagnosis and for suggested treat
ment, most OF her work is done indie !
pendenty for them.
A Public Health Nurse must be a
graduate nurse with some practical ex- .
perience, outside OF her school. She
must be able to recognize the common 4.
defects and diseases, and to know the
usual methods of their treatment
A public health nurse acts as the
agent for both, the physician and the
patient. Her work is to make it easvi >
for physicians, TO advise tend or treat !
needy patients. A public health nurse !
must be strong physically, for she mas
to out in all kinds of weather. She y
must be sociable, and to be able to '
converse readily and Familiarity with :
all classes Of people. She must be
even tempered and patient, for scold- =
ng is fatal to her success, above all. =
The must be womanIy and sympathetic I
A public health nurse works in homes
md in schools. She visits from house a
o house, observes home conditions =
md explains points in hygiene and san =
tation, which are obvious to the edu- n
ated and refined, but which are prac-
ically unknown to large portion of
he people. The public> health nurse
.lso works in schools She observes
he children and discusses their condi-
ions with the teachers. She examines
hem for defects and refers them to
he physician and specialist for cor
ectior and treatment, but the most
Elective school work which she does
), that of visiting the parents in the
ONES OF the needy children.
The supervision of the health of
chool children, and the correction of
heir defects is rapidly becoming the E
ecogn:zed duty of every department
health Many states require the
Examinations of every school child, but
n examination has no value unless the
leans are provided for correcting the D.
ELECTS. At least one scholar in every o.
We has serious defects, which 90 un- iss
Directed unless the public health en-
lrse secures this correction. r,
TUBERCULOSIS. Sc
Effective anti-tuberculosis work can WI
ot be done without the services of a M
1blic health nurse. There is a wide do
'read belief that consumption is al Pa
avs fatal disease. Incipient cases ~
dude themselves with the belief "
at they do not have the disease.
They stay away from physician un- to
they are beyond cure. Advanced inc
SEES 60 from one physician to another
eking relief with pills and powder.
public health nurse is needed, first, the
discover cases and second, to advise bel
d encourage them to persevere in 2 :
glenlc measures. She visits suspect -.
cases in their homes, secures their ON
animation. supervises their treat Sc
mt and arranges for their admission var
clinics and hospitals. She is their of
end and confident. She COMFORTS
adanced cases, and encourages the tne
ipierts with assurance of relief. She 226
lcates the people of a community in con
meaning OF cough and the loss of con
light and strength; and demonstrates wv y
them that tuberculosis is durable l
preventable. All this work re- pra
res constant visitation and supervi-
n.
here are at least 10 to 20 cases Of